The extension acts avoided the detrimental effects of a complete shutdown of the
Federal surface transportation program. However, the numerous extensions had wide-ranging effects on State partners and their ability to deliver ongoing and new transportation projects on time.
Against a backdrop of a transportation appropriations spending bill for the balance of the fiscal year on the Senate floor, discussions within the so-called "super committee" working on a long-term spending plan--which must cut $1.5 trillion from the federal budget deficit--and consideration of the transportation portion of the President's proposed American Jobs Act, Senate transportation leaders have announced they will begin action on a two-year bill for
federal surface transportation programs on November 9.
NLC's Agenda for Jobs and Economic Growth calls on Congress and the administration to: authorize a new
federal surface transportation program; protect federal investments in proven programs like CDBG; and fix the nation's broken immigration system.
Full funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), a strategic new
federal surface transportation program, federal action on immigration reform, the role of small businesses in local economies and education reform strategies and initiatives topped the list of issues city leaders addressed with the White House.
The current
federal surface transportation program, financed by federal fuel taxes collected by the federal government and redistributed to states and MPOs, expired last September and has been extended until December 2010.
The letter explained that while the December 2015 signing into law by President Obama of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and its predecessor, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), have improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the country's
federal surface transportation programs, the fact remains that neither bill has made any progress in ensuring the long-run solvency of
federal surface transportation programs.
As of publication, Congress was again preparing to consider another short-term extension that would fund
federal surface transportation programs through December.
In our recent report and in 2005, we concluded that there is a need to (1) clearly establish federal objectives and clear roles for all stakeholders (federal, regional, state, and local governments and freight, commuter, and passenger railroads); (2) clearly identify expected outcomes; (3) base decisions on reliable ridership and other forecasts to determine the viability of high speed rail projects; and (4) include high speed rail in a reexamination of other
federal surface transportation programs to clarify federal goals and roles, link funding to needs and performance, and reduce modal stovepipes that hinder the financing of transportation improvements with the greatest potential for improving mobility.
Leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have introduced a $283.9 billion, six-year bill to reauthorize expired
federal surface transportation programs.
Legislation to extend
federal surface transportation programs was adopted by several Senate committees before Congress left in December but did not address the truck weight issue.
More funding is expected from federal budgets over the next four years and from legislation authorizing
federal surface transportation programs.
A number of principles can help guide the assessment of proposals to restructure and fund
federal surface transportation programs. These principles include (1) ensuring goals are well defined and focused on the national interest, (2) ensuring the federal role in achieving each goal is clearly defined, (3) ensuring accountability for results by entities receiving federal funds, (4) employing the best tools and approaches to improve results and emphasize return on targeted federal investment, and (5) ensuring fiscal sustainability.