Conference committee on surface transportation bill to meet on May 8

Leaders of the House and Senate have appointed 47 members from the two legislative bodies to a conference committee in the attempt to advance a long-awaited surface transportation bill.  The initial meeting will occur on May 8.  

Every six years, the U.S. Congress reauthorizes legislation that determines the volume of spending, the recipients of that spending, and the revenue sources of that spending for the nation’s surface transportation system.  The current surface transportation plan, the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU), had an expiration date of September 30, 2009.  Since Congress has been unable to reach consensus on a new six year authorization, the current legislation has repeatedly been extended.  

The infrastructure projects and overall plan stipulated by SAFETEA-LU are primarily financed by an 18.4 cent tax per gallon of gasoline purchased and a 24.4 cent tax per gallon of diesel fuel.  This arrangement has proven to be unsustainable in adequately funding our nation’s surface transportation needs.  As a result, new funding mechanisms for the next surface transportation bill are being explored and debated.  

On March 14, the Senate passed a two year, $109 billion bill by a 74-22 margin.  The House thus far has failed to pass anything beyond an extension of the current law.  The most recent action was a 90 day extension passed on April 18.  

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the Chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, will chair the conference committee.  Other Senate appointees include Dick Durbin (D-IL), Max Baucus (D-MT), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), James Inhofe (R-OK), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX ), Richard Shelby (R-AL), David Vitter (R-LA), and John Hoeven (R-ND). 

House Republicans appointed to the conference committee include John Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Dave Camp (R-MI), Don Young (R-AR), John Duncan (R-TN), Bill Shuster (R-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Rick Crawford (R-AR), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Larry Buschon (R-IN), Richard Hanna (R-NY), Steve Southerland (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Reid Ribble (R-WI), Fred Upton (R-MI), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Doc Hastings (R-WA), Rob Bishop (R-UT), Ralph Hall (R-TX), Chip Chavaack (R-MN), and Patrick Tiberi (R-OH).

House Democrats appointed to the committee include Nick Rahall (D-WV), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Leonard Boswell (D-IA), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).