Politics in Action: S. 1813

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

S. 1813 – Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act 

(Sen. Boxer, D-California, and 3 cosponsors)

The Administration supports Senate passage of S. 1813 to provide much needed certainty and funding for the Nation’s surface transportation programs. 

The reauthorization of the programs funded by the Highway Trust Fund is critical to the safety of the traveling public and the Nation’s ability to facilitate commerce and trade. Since the expiration of the last multi-year authorization bill in 2009, surface transportation and highway safety programs have operated under a series of short-term extensions, varying from one to nine months.

This legislation will provide more certainty to States and localities as they undertake the long-term planning and execution of projects and programs that are essential to creating and keeping American workers in good paying jobs, improving the Nation’s surface transportation infrastructure, and ensuring roadway safety.   

The Administration also supports reforms in the investment of transportation dollars that ensure balance among transportation options and better results for taxpayers. The bill proposes to consolidate the number of Federal programs to focus on key national goals and reduce unnecessary duplication, while also eliminating earmarks.

The Administration supports provisions in this bill that maintain funding for programs and policies that preserve and improve roads and bridges and that strengthen safety on the Nation’s highways.

The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to ensure that all the environmental review provisions in this legislation protect the health of the environment and American communities and provide for practical and workable reforms.

The Administration will continue to work with the Congress on increased longer-term funding to provide the additional investments in the Nation’s surface transportation infrastructure, including high speed rail, needed to support economic growth and competitiveness.

The Administration will also work with the Congress to enact an immediate investment of $50 billion in roads, rails, and runways to create thousands of jobs in the short term, and to secure the establishment of a National Infrastructure Bank to help finance infrastructure projects that demonstrate the most merit but that may be difficult to fund under the current patchwork of Federal programs.