Progress Announced on Draft Senate Surface Transportation Bill
Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee1 have issued a joint statement regarding draft legislation to reauthorize U.S. surface transportation programs, entitled Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21).
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According to the joint statement, the draft legislation would:
- Consolidate numerous programs into a more focused freight program that would improve the movement of goods;
- Fund programs at current levels to maintain and modernize U.S. critical transportation infrastructure;
- Eliminate earmarks; and
- Consolidate numerous programs to focus resources on key national goals and reduce duplicative and wasteful programs.
The Senators acknowledge that there is still much work to do, noting that in cooperation with the Senate Finance Committee, they are exploring a wide range of options to support and sustain the Highway Trust Fund.
1Senator Boxer (D), Chairman of the Committee, Senator Inhofe (R), Ranking Member of the Committee, Senator Baucus (D), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, and Senator Vitter (R), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee.
EPW Committee press release available here
Chamber of Commerce response to EPW statement available here