2009 Transportation Reauthorization
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
National Surface Transportation and Revenue Study Commission
The National Surface Transportation and Revenue Study Commission released its Report to Congress on January 15, 2008, entitled Transportation for Tomorrow: Report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. The Congress created the Commission in 2005 because "it is in the national interest to preserve and enhance the surface transportation system to meet the needs of the United States for the 21st century." This report has recommendations for the future of the nation's surface transportation program. See www.transportationfortomorrow.org/.
U.S. Department of Transportation
On July 29, 2008, Former Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced a new framework to overhaul the way U.S. transportation decisions and investments are made. She stated that reform is needed to address exploding highway congestion, rising fuel prices, unsustainable gas taxes and spending decisions based on political influence instead of merit, all of which are eroding confidence in government and threatening mobility, the economy and quality of life in America. Learn more at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/reauth_reform.htm
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
State Transportation Officials Set Course for Federal Program Reform (October 24, 2008) - http://news.transportation.org/press_release.aspx?Action=ViewNews&NewsID=197
RECOMMENDATIONS
Numerous national groups have been preparing recommendations and proposals for the reauthorization. Links to these recommendations are below.
AASHTO
ARTBA
APTA
T4America
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
ATM (U.S. Chamber’s Coalition)
AGC
TFIC created nine policy groups to develop recommendations for issues related to interstate reconstruction/expansion, bridges, corridors of national significance, earmark reform, private-public partnerships, public transit, freight, intercity passenger rail and programmatic and planning. The recommendations from those policy groups have been developed into the following report and were provided to the Illinois delegation during the May Fly-In: 2009 Transportation Authorization Recommendations developed by TFIC.
UPDATES
On June 22, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released the Committee Print of the next surface transportation authorization bill. The details of the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 are below:
- A Blueprint for Investment and Reform
- Executive Summary
- The Federal Surface Transportation Framework
For more updates, visit the T&I Committee website
The TFIC Reauthorization Policy Groups analyzed the House T&I Committee's Proposed Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 (STAA) and developed the following report in response to the bill:
TFIC STAA Analysis
(This report is an insert in the TFIC "2009 Transportation Authorization Recommendations" binder.)
ARTBA has also prepared an analysis of the STAA. Click here to view their report.
State lawmakers push for high speed rail
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