The House approved a $325 billion highway bill on Thursday after considering over 100 amendments and an intense debate about federal gas taxes.
The measure, titled the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform (STRR) Act of 2015, reauthorizes the collection of the 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax for six years and calls for spending $261 billion on highways, $55 billion on transit and approximately $9 billion on safety programs — but only if Congress can come up with a way to pay for the final three years.
Special Report: House Passes $325-Billion, 6-year Highway Funding Bill
The measure also includes a reauthorization of the controversial Export-Import bank's charter, which has been held up in Congress since it expired in June.
The House voted approve the multiyear highway bill in 363-64 vote on Thursday, setting up a potential conference with the Senate ahead of a Nov. 20 deadline for renewing federal infrastructure funding.
Lawmakers have voted on nearly 130 amendments to the highway funding measure over the past two days in an effort to display a more open legislative process under new House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).
American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) President & CEO Pete Ruane celebrated that the House accomplished something "that it has not done in a decade: passage of a highway and transit bill that is more than two years in duration."
“The STRR Acts helps end the eight-year cycle of short-term funding patches," he said. "It contains important provisions that renew focus on roadway infrastructure safety, improve the speed and efficiency in which projects are completed, and increase transparency in how the public’s tax dollars are invested."
Ruane is disappointed, however, in the amount of funding that was achieved in this measure.
“The bill, however, does not provide close to the investment levels the federal government says are necessary to maintain, let alone, improve conditions on the nation’s highways, bridges, and transit systems," Ruane said. "And it does not include a long-term revenue solution for the beleaguered Highway Trust Fund."
Dennis Slater, president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) said Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio deserve particular credit for shepherding the STRR Act through the House after months of behind-the-scenes efforts to build support for this important legislation.
"It's also a testament to Speaker Ryan that the first major victory of his speakership is a bill that emerged through regular order that will also end a pattern of funding the Highway Trust Fund from deadline to deadline," he said. "The many other lawmakers who fought this year to educate colleagues on the harm of stopgap measures and who put forth innovative plans to end the trust fund's chronic shortfall were similarly instrumental in today's victory."
Bud Wright, executive director of The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), also recognized the influence of Shuster and DeFazio and encouraged both chambers to continue the momentum and quickly proceed to conference negotiations so a bill can be sent to the President prior to the November 20 expiration of the current surface transportation extension.
"Not since the passage of MAP-21 more than three years ago has Congress been in a better position to approve a multi-year surface transportation bill," said Wright. "Congress has an opportunity to build muscle for the American economy by passing a multi-year bill that provides stable, long-term funding and sensible reforms designed to meet the vast needs of our aging highway, transit and rail systems."
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