House Tax Policy Panel to Hold Highway Funding Hearing June 17

Tax policy writers in the House will explore ways to ensure there is long-term financing for the Highway Trust Fund during a hearing June 17, according to an announcement from the tax policy committee’s chairman.

"The roads and bridges that keep our economy moving rely on a highly unsustainable financing system. Solving this challenge for the long term will require us to think big, and I look forward to exploring new ideas to close the shortfall once and for all," Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said June 10. 

Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), added, "This is badly needed not just in my home state of Washington, but across the nation. … Because of the importance of infrastructure to our communities and our economy, we will be diving into this issue, not just at the full committee level, but on the subcommittee level as well."

In April, Ryan told reporters the crafting of a highway funding proposal was happening while he worked on a tax reform package. Current funding authority for highway programs expires July 31.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the trust fund will require a boost of about $8 billion through the end of the year to guarantee steady reimbursements to states for transportation projects.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EDT in Room 1100 of the Longworth House Office Building. Witnesses have yet to be announced. For several years, Democrats have been urging GOP leaders on Ways and Means to hold a hearing on the trust fund.