ATA, Transportation Groups Urge Senate Action on 6-Year Bill

A consortium of transportation groups, including American Trucking Associations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is urging senators to advance a six-year surface transportation policy measure that a committee reported to the chamber’s floor last month.

“A six-year federal commitment to prioritize and invest in our aging infrastructure and safety needs is essential to achieve this goal,” the groups wrote July 20. “Temporary program extensions and eight years of recurring Highway Trust Fund revenue crises do not provide a path to future economic growth, jobs and increased competitiveness.”

In all, 68 groups signed the letter. Aside from ATA and the Chamber, other groups included the U.S. Travel Association, the National Tank Truck Carriers Inc., and the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association.

On July 20, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated he hopes to collaborate on a bipartisan, multiyear highway bill before the trust fund’s authority expires July 31. McConnell has scheduled a procedural vote on a highway funding authority measure at 2:15 p.m. EDT.

(Update, 12:25 p.m.: McConnell announced a bipartisan agreement on a six-year bill with three years of funding authorization; says the vote will be rescheduled to 4 p.m.)

Prior to the vote, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the panel that advanced the six-year bill, urged action on a multiyear bill.

“At 2:15 p.m. we’re going to have a motion that we’ll be voting on to move to the consideration of this bill. It doesn’t say you have to be for it or against it; you want to change it. If you want to have amendments, you have to get to the bill before you can have any amendments,” Inhofe said, adding, “I look forward to the next two weeks of discussing and passing the second-most significant bill that we’ll consider this entire year.”

Last week, the House passed a five-month transportation funding patch.