Editorial: D.C. Talks While Iowa Acts

It seemed almost everywhere you turned last week, federal officials were talking about highway funding.

There was a clear sense of just how serious the talk is getting in Washington, D.C. — events took place as scheduled on Feb. 26, despite several inches of snow that sometimes can shut down the nation’s capital.

There was Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, who said his panel will unveil a multiyear highway bill before there is a need to approve another short-term extension of the current law.

Conversely, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said a temporary funding extension should be passed as quickly as possible. His belief is that Congress will not be able to agree on a long-term bill.

Also out there was Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who said a tax overhaul could solve short- and long-term funding woes, and Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), who called for outside-the-box proposals.

Not to be outdone, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) joined with other vehicle mileage-tax advocates to push replacing the fuel tax completely.

All of this took place as Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx testified before a House panel, which is beginning its work on a new highway funding bill.

Despite these notable names saying quite admirable things, it was nothing more than talk.

But it was quite different last week in Iowa, where Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill raising the state’s diesel and gasoline taxes by 10 cents a gallon as of March 1.

The signing came just one day after the bill passed both the Iowa House and Senate.

“This is a great example, on a difficult and controversial issue, of the kind of bipartisan cooperation that really makes Iowa stand out as a state where we work together and we get things done on behalf of the citizens of our state,” Branstad said.

Fuel-tax increases at any level of government can be difficult, particularly because the same people who voted you into office are digging deeper into their pockets every time they fill up. By now, however, every American is aware there is a funding crisis, one that requires difficult decisions.

While we support discussion of all things highway funding in Washington, we also hope federal lawmakers will take a moment to reflect on the actions in Iowa this past week.