TheWeekInCongress.com
Week Ending May 21, 2004
HR 3550 Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users.
BRIEF
Transportation is one of the larger spending bills that Congress revisits and funds every six years. Its’ popularity is center squarely on the jobs and other opportunities it produces across the country and the popularity it creates for the legislators who bring some of the funding to their districts.
The bill would reauthorize appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for specific highway programs, research and technology spending, motor carrier safety and transportation research.
The Senate voted to substitute it’s version of HR 3550 and passed S 1062 The ":Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003". There were some differences between the bills and amendments from both bodies that will have to be reconciled in conference where the bill currently resides.
Sponsor: Representative Don Young (R-AK)
Vote: Each bill passed in the body it was introduced.
Cost to the taxpayer: The President said he wouldn't sign a bill that cost more that $256 billion. the House version is $318 billion and the Senate version is $276 billion. The differences will have to be worked out in conference.
MORE INFORMATION
SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOUSE AND SENATE
HOUSE-The Secretary of Transportation is directed to establish a National Commission on Future Revenue Sources to support the Highway Transportation Fund (HTF). (The HTF receives most of its’ funding from gasoline taxes.)
SENATE- The Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary) is directed to establish an Infrastructure Performance and Maintenance Program, a freight transportation gateways program, a National Blue Ribbon Commission on Highway Safety, a highway safety improvement program, and a multi-modal energy and climate change program.
SENATE-Would require designated metropolitan planning organizations to develop transportation plans for metropolitan planning areas of a State; and each State must develop a statewide transportation improvement program.
HOUSE-The bill would also establish a National Commission on the Future of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate Defense Highways and a Commission on Intelligent Transportation Systems Procurement Policy. States with an urban area population of over 200,000 are obligated to use specified funds for congestion relief.
HOUSE-Sets forth revised provisions governing public transportation funding and the Secretary's authority to make specified grants, including grants for capital projects, planning, and transit and for commercial driver's license program improvements.
SENATE- The Secretary is directed to design and implement a discretionary grant program to reduce impaired driving; and join with the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services. Grants for new transportation services; and grants to sub-recipients of State and local governmental authorities in financing specified capital projects would be authorized as well as appropriations for major capital investment program grants; and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration administrative expenses.
HOUSE-The Secretary would be directed to establish programs involving long-term bridge performance, innovative highway safety technologies, freight planning capacity building, freight transportation research, future strategic highway research, surface transportation congestion solutions research, commercial remote sensing products and spatial information technologies.
SENATE- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator would be directed to establish a Medical Review Board; and the Secretary would be directed to carry out a motor carrier research, development, and technology (RD&T) program. Appropriations would be authorized for a surface transportation RD&T deployment program, training and education, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, university transportation research, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) research; and high speed rail.
HOUSE-Intelligent Transportation Systems Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary to conduct an ongoing intelligent system transportation program to research, develop, and operationally test an advance nationwide deployment of intelligent transportation systems as a component of the U.S. surface transportation systems.
HOUSE-Reauthorizes the hazardous materials transportation program.
SENATE- The bill would direct the U.S. Postal Service to prescribe regulations for the safe transportation of hazardous material in the mail, direct the Secretary to monitor public-sector emergency response planning and training for hazardous material incidents, and direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish an Emergency Preparedness Fund account.
SOME AMENDMENTS THAT MADE IT.
H. AMDT.504 would make States eligible to receive Alcohol-Impaired Countermeasures grant funds to cover the cost of DWI vehicle impoundment programs. By Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. (R-NJ) Agreed to by voice vote.
H.AMDT 506 would clarify that 60 percent of the components and subcomponents in a manufactured product must be American made. For construction projects and system acquisition, the amendment requires that 60 percent of the total cost of components and subcomponents in manufactured products must be American made; and requires that final assembly of any manufactured product must happen in the United States. As modified, language was added to the amendment concerning buses and bus facilities in Wisconsin. By Rep LaTourette, Steve C. (R-OH) Agreed to by voice vote.
H. AMDT 508 would exempt motion picture and television production truck drivers from the new "hours of service" regulations that went into effect at the beginning of the year. By Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) Agreed to by recorded vote: 365 - 62 (RC 109).
H.AMDT 509 would provide that agriculture transporters will continue to be exempt from hours of service requirements when operating within a 100-mile radius of their point of origin during the planting and harvesting seasons of the year. By Rep Bereuter, Doug (R-NE) Agreed to by voice vote.
H.AMDT 513 would repeal the authority to indefinitely charge tolls on existing highway lanes, replacing it with language that allows tolls only on new voluntary-use lanes, with revenues dedicated to new highway capacity. By Rep Kennedy, Mark R. (R-MN) Agreed to by recorded vote: 231 - 193 (RC 111).
H.AMDT. 497 would delete language requiring that a toll be paid by owners of hybrid vehicles for use of car pool lanes. By Rep Schiff, Adam B. (D-CA) Agreed to by voice vote
S.AMDT 2333 would encourage States to give priority to pedestrian and bicycle facility enhancement projects that include a coordinated physical activity or healthy lifestyles program. By Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
S.AMDT 2498 To establish the Denali Access System in the State of Alaska. By Senator Bond for Senator Barbara Murkowski (D-MD). Passed by voice vote.