Congress Clears Aviation Extension Bill Sans Fix for Highway Trust Fund

The U.S. Senate yesterday passed legislation (H.R. 6327) to provide a three-month extension of federal excise taxes that support the Airport and Airways Trust Fund, as well as  a three-month extension of the authority to spend money from the trust fund. The tax and spending authority would otherwise expire on June 30.  The Senate action clears the bill of the President’s signature.

Despite advocacy efforts from transportation stakeholder groups, neither the House nor Senate bill addresses the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. 

H.R. 6327, as originally introduced by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangell (D-N.Y.) included an $8 billion appropriation from the General Fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund to avoid the pending insolvency of the Highway Account. 

However, the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), and the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), announced their opposition to the transfer. The provision was subsequently removed from the bill.

In the Senate on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) asked for unanimous consent to pass H.R. 6327 with the $8 billion bailout, but Senator James DeMint (R-S.C.) objected, saying that the aviation extension bill was not the appropriate legislative vehicle.

Contact David Hubbard or Leif Wathne.

NACA Partner Presents Testimony on Sustainability

ACPA President and CEO Gerald F. Voigt, P.E., on Tuesday presented testimony on the topic of sustainable and energy efficient infrastructure to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology (Subcommittee on Technology & Innovation).

Voigt was one of five experts to address sustainability and lifecycle energy consumption related to pavements and associated research and development efforts.  The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.), is examining current sustainable practices and research initiatives, while also assessing what can be done to make greater use of sustainable technology in the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. 

“The cause of rising gas prices is another debate, but one thing we all agree on is that we must take action to help reduce the cost of transportation for families across the country,” Chairman Wu said.  “We can reduce fuel consumption and promote sustainability through changes to the transportation infrastructure.”

Voigt began his remarks by making the case that concrete pavements are more sustainable than asphalt pavements, and then called for a decision framework or other mechanism to be created to both guide and enable states in incorporating sustainability into pavement specification. 

Voigt also cited specific research projects being conducted or facilitated by ACPA, the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center), and Arizona State University’s National Center of Excellence on SMART Innovations for Urban Climate and Energy.

Other witnesses included:   

• Paul Brubaker, Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration; 
• Randell Iwasaki, Chief Deputy Director, California Department of Transportation;
• Robert Bertini, Ph.D., Director, Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium; and
• Christopher Poe, Ph.D., P.E., Assistant Agency Director and Division Head / Director, Texas Transportation Institute, Center on Tolling Research.  

The other witnesses focused on specific research initiatives and program recommendations.  

Click here for additional information about the hearing.  Click here to read the official, written testimony ACPA prepared and entered into the Congressional record. ACPA received input for the formal, written testimony from PCA, the CP Tech Center, and the IGGA.

Contact Jerry Voigt or Leif Wathne.

House Appropriations Panel Approves Funding for Corps Water Projects

The House Appropriations Committee this week approved an Energy and Water spending bill that increases overall funding for federal water infrastructure programs at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation.

The bill provides $5.3 billion for the Corps, an increase of $590 million over the President’s budget request and the FY 2008 level.  Under the measure, the Corps construction projects are funded at $2.07 billion, $612 million over the President’s request, but $219 million less than the current level.  The Operations and Maintenance program is funded at $2.3 billion, $175 million less than the President’s budget request and $56 billion above the current level.

The measure also provides $957 million for the Bureau of Reclamation and Central Utah Project for dams, canals, water treatment and conservation, and rural water projects, restoring $163 million cut in the President’s budget.

Contact David Hubbard.

Housing Bill Includes No Energy Tax Credits

A version of the mortgage bill that passed the Senate in April contained extensions of several renewable energy tax credits that are set to expire at the end of 2008. The renewable and efficiency tax credit extensions were added as an amendment by Senators John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in an 88-8 vote, but  did not include provisions to offset the costs of the roughly $6.6 billion package.

The extended tax credits are not on the current version of the housing package House and Senate lawmakers are trying to negotiate.

Renewable energy and efficiency credits have broad support across the aisle.  Even so,  renewal has been stalled for months by a fight over whether to offset the costs of extensions, and if done, what revenue-raisers can be used.

Contact Deidra Ciriello or Kevin Walgenbach.

Substance Abuse Rule Under Review

The Mine Safety & Health Administratiion (MSHA)  is considering publishing a proposed rule to address the risks and hazards to miner safety from the use of or impairment from alcohol and drugs on mine property.  

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) has been issued on the topic under review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  Click here for more information.

The OMB received the proposed rule from MSHA on June 3, and the agency is likely to release the rule for publication on or around July 3. 

This latest effort traces back to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking  issued by MSHA in October 2005.  The agency held a series of hearings around the country at that time where participants were asked to provide input about the issue.

PCA will comment on the rule when it is published. 

Contact Tom Harman.

Union Endorsement Escalates Card Check Issue

The 10 million member strong union federation AFL-CIO on Thursday publicly endorsed the Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

The AFL-CIO has said it plans on spending roughly $300 million to help Senator Obama win the Presidency and elect other Democrats to Congress. According to the Wall Street Journal, the AFL-CIO has pledged $53.4 million just for “voter-mobilization efforts for Senator Obama” and will “deploy 250,000 volunteers to reach out to 13 million voters in 23 priority states.”

At issue is legislation titled the Employee Free Choice Act, of which Senator Obama is a co-sponsor. The measure would replace the federally supervised private ballot election system that workers use when deciding whether or not to join a union, with a Card Check process that allows a union to organize if a majority of workers simply sign a card.

On Monday, Senator Barack Obama addressed delegates from the Communications Workers of America, stating that he “would support legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize workers.”

Contact Kevin Walgenbach.

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