Sen. Inhofe: ‘We Need to Have At Least’ a Five-Year Transportation Bill
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the transportation policy-writing Environment and Public Works committee, said he will ask senators to consider a variety of funding proposals to advance a five-year highway bill this year.
The chairman acknowledged the need to come up with about $15 billion annually to reauthorize highway programs for several years. A way to do that, he said, is for Congress to identify items in the federal budget that “aren’t nearly as significant as highways,” adopt public-private partnership ideas and even raise certain highway user fees.
“I don’t call it a tax increase. In fact, I’m not going to do that. It’s a user fee increase,” Inhofe told Transport Topics on Jan. 21. “Ironically, those who are the stakeholders, those who are using it, they’re always advocating a larger user fee on themselves. And, so we need to look at that, which I’ve always done, and see if that should be part of it.”
Inhofe also noted he plans to avoid a short-term transportation funding bill, which is what Congress opted for last summer. Short-term funding for the federal Highway Trust Fund account is projected to run out when a 2012 transportation law expires in May. Inhofe stressed he would seek support from senators and members of the GOP-controlled House to send the White House a highway bill the president could sign into law.
“That’s what the Constitution says we should do: Defend America and roads and bridges. That’s what we should be doing here,” Inhofe said.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), the committee’s ranking member, said she would support Inhofe in advancing a long-term highway bill. Last year, as the panel’s leader, Boxer passed a multiyear highway measure that was not picked up by the full Senate.
The Highway Trust Fund is used to help states pay for big-ticket infrastructure projects. Several state DOT agencies have called on federal lawmakers to adopt long-term programs that ensure funding for highway construction projects in the coming years.
On Jan. 28, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is scheduled to appear before the Environment and Public Works panel to share with senators the administration’s plans for boosting funds for infrastructure projects.
