ATSSA The Signal Nov/Dec 2019

The Signal | November/December 2019 9 Government Relations Action on infrastructure bill revs up as FAST Act expires Federal legislation to fund thenation’s transportationnetworksismovingforward as the Fixing America’s Surface Trans- portation (FAST) Act gets ready to expire in 2020. After Congress’ summer recess,members on the Senate Committee on Environ- ment and Public Works (EPW) returned to Washington, D.C. to resume work on moving the America’s Transportation and Infrastructure Act (ATIA) bill to the Senate floor. The bill, which would replace the FAST Act, would provide $287 billion in high- way spending for theHighway Trust Fund over a five-year period. Ninety percent of those funds would be distributed to state agencies for use in roadway proj- ects using the formula fromthe FAST Act. According to a statement from the EPW Committee, the bill’s “five-year funding level is more than a 27 percent increase above the FAST Act and will be the larg- est highway bill in history.” The ATIA bill passed through the EPW Committee before the summer recess, but still needs to bemarked up by other Senate committees prior to receiving a full floor vote. “The biggest challenge the bill faces will be in determining the financing of the bill, and both sides have said that a raise in the federal gas tax is off the table. The ATIAwould be themost substantial piece of highway legislation inhistory andwe’re monitoring it closely, providing crucial information tomembers of Congress on the importance in investing in roadway safety infrastructure aswemove Toward Zero Death’s on our nation’s roadways,” said ATSSA’s Vice President of Govern- ment Relations Nate Smith. On theHouse sideof Congress,members of theHouse SubcommitteeonHighways and Transit have started exploring the financing for highway legislation and held a hearing on September 11 titled “Pricing and Technology Strategies to Address Congestion on and Financing America’s Roads.” “We’re hopeful with the steps made in recent months that Congress will pass a robust infrastructure bill that will provide states with the funding needed tomake our roadways safer,” said Smith.  To learnmore about ATSSA’s government relations activities visit ATSSA.com/Advocacy.

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