Highway bill timing unclear as Oberstar, LaHood disagree

Key transportation leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives in June proposed a highway reauthorization bill that would mandate electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) on all commercial motor vehicles used by carriers subject to the hours-of-service regulations. The legislation also would keep interstate highways toll-free except under narrowly-defined circumstances and would establish a special office within the Federal Highway Administration to oversee tolls and public-private partnerships.

The Democratic and Republican leaders of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and its highway and transit subcommittee on June 18 released a 90-page preview summary of the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009. The committee released a draft of the 775-page bill as CCJ went to press last month. The highway and transit subcommittee was scheduled to begin working on changes to the bill on June 24.

But while committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) apparently has achieved consensus with key Republicans on his own committee, he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with President Obama’s Department of Transportation and Secretary Ray LaHood. Oberstar wants to push forward with a major overhaul of highway programs under the usual long-term authorization bill. But LaHood, citing analysis that the highway trust fund could run out of money by August, has proposed an immediate 18-month reauthorization that will replenish the trust fund.

“If this step is not taken, the trust fund will run out of money as soon as late August, and states will be in danger of losing the vital transportation funding they need and expect,” LaHood said on June 17. “As part of this, I am proposing that we enact critical reforms to help us make better investment decisions with cost-benefit analysis, focus on more investments in metropolitan areas and promote the concept of livability to more closely link home and work.” LaHood also noted that the Obama administration opposes a gas tax because of the potential impact on consumers and businesses in a recession.

Anticipating Oberstar’s news conference the following day, LaHood acknowledged concerns about a short-term authorization. “However, with the reality of our fiscal environment and the critical demand to address our infrastructure investments in a smarter, more focused approach, we should not rush legislation.”

“Delay is unacceptable,” Oberstar said June 18. “Delay casts uncertainty on the program. If we delay the new authorization, states will hold back on new projects, and that will cost jobs. We are not in the business of delay. It is time to move ahead.”