Contact: Daisy Singh, 202-857-1200, daisysingh@highways.org

Highway Users Alliance Commends Senate on Highway Bill Passage

WASHINGTON, DC (March 14, 2012) – Today the American Highway Users Alliance applauded the Senate for passing MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century) by a vote of 74-22.  The next step is for the House to pass its own highway bill that can be reconciled with the Senate’s.

Highway Users President and CEO Greg Cohen remarked, “The Highway Users commends the Senate for passing a highway bill that will be a huge benefit for motorists.  The bill provides much-needed stability for our nation’s aging infrastructure programs and ensures that urgent road construction and rehabilitation won’t be stalled at motorists’ peril.  Significant reforms within the legislation include the consolidation and elimination of duplicative programs, streamlined federal environmental reviews, a new focus on highway freight corridors, and a doubling of funding for roadway safety projects.

“Passage of the Senate highway bill proves that Congress is still capable of enacting commonsense, bipartisan legislation that benefits every American from coast-to-coast.  This legislation is critical for rural, suburban, and urban citizens alike.  The country’s roads and bridges are our economic arteries.  Safety and mobility improvements on our highways are essential to America’s long-term recovery and our quality-of-life.”

Overall the Highway Users supports MAP-21, but we continue to raise objections to certain provisions in the Commerce titles of the bill that add new planning burdens on the States and could raise consumer costs for automobile purchases.  We also oppose a provision that would allow unsubstantiated auto safety complaints to be publicly released prior to engineering investigations.  The Highway Users urges House Members to avoid these problematic provisions when it debates its own version of the bill.

“We hope that the House will pass its own version of the highway bill without further delay,” said Cohen.  “We look forward to working with Members and their staff to ensure final enactment of a robust highway bill that ensures the safety and efficiency of our nation’s highways and bridges.”

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The American Highway Users Alliance represents motorists, RV enthusiasts, truckers, bus companies, motorcyclists, and a broad cross-section of businesses that depend on safe and efficient highways to transport their families, customers, employees, and products. Highway Users members pay the taxes that finance the federal highway program and advocate public policies that dedicate those taxes to improved highway safety and mobility.

Highway Users Alliance Commends Senate on Highway Bill Passage is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Daisy Singh, 202-857-1200, daisysingh@highways.org

WASHINGTON, DC (January 19, 2012) – Today the American Highway Users Alliance expressed deep disappointment at the White House’s decision to reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project.

Highway Users President and CEO Greg Cohen remarked, “The White House had the opportunity to not only create thousands of much-needed jobs but the chance to increase North American energy independence.  The Keystone Pipeline would have given our nation’s economy a much-needed boost at a time when so many Americans are desperately seeking work.  For motorists, the pipeline would have improved fuel price stability in an unstable world.

“While we are dismayed by this final outcome, we pledge to continue working with Congressional lawmakers to re-open this issue and get Keystone XL built to help us meet our country’s energy needs.”

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The American Highway Users Alliance represents motorists, RV enthusiasts, truckers, bus companies, motorcyclists, and a broad cross-section of businesses that depend on safe and efficient highways to transport their families, customers, employees, and products. Highway Users members pay the taxes that finance the federal highway program and advocate public policies that dedicate those taxes to improved highway safety and mobility.

Highway Users Disappointed in Keystone Pipeline Decision is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

Volume 7/Issue 1, 2011

Volume 6/Issue 1, 2010

Volume 6/Issue 2, 2010

Volume 6/Issue 3, 2010

Volume 5/Issue 1, 2009

Volume 5/Issue 2, 2009

Volume 5/Issue 3, 2009

Volume 4, Issue 1, 2008

Volume 4, Issue 2, 2008

Volume 4, Issue 3, 2008

Volume 4, Issue 4, 2008

Volume 3, Issue 1, 2007

Volume 3, Issue 2, 2007

Volume 3, Issue 3, 2007

Volume 3, Issue 4, 2007

Volume 3, Issue 5, 2007

Volume 3, Issue 6, 2007

Driving Ahead is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

The “Big 4″ — Chairman Boxer (D-Cal.), Ranking Member Inhofe (R-Okla.), Subcommittee Chairman Baucus (D-Mont.), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Vitter (R-La.) — along with the other Senators on the Committee spoke with pride about the spirit of working together across party lines towards this important milestone.

At least three other Committees will need to weigh in on other titles of the bill before the bill can be taken to the Senate floor.  The funding title must be developed by the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Senator Baucus.  At today’s mark-up, Senator Baucus committed to find $12 billion in additional revenue to prevent cuts.  The transit title will be developed by the Senate Banking Committee and the commerce title (including truck safety and possibly auto safety) will be developed by the Commerce Committee.  The Highway Users urges all Committees involved to seek the type of bipartisan consensus found by the EPW Members.

The EPW Committee adopted a single amendment, which combined a manager’s amendment with several other Senators’ amendments that received unanimous support from the “Big 4″ en-bloc.  The “Big 4″ agreed to oppose all other amendments and, in deference to the Committee leadership, all other amendments from Committee Senators were withdrawn without any votes.

The Highway Users urged support for the bill and sent a letter to the Committee leadership yesterday.

The text of the en-bloc amendment adopted by the Committee can be found in two separate links:  Click here for the original managers’ amendment developed by the “Big 4″. And click here for the amendments accepted from other Members of the Committee.

The text and summary of the bill as introduced (before amendments were added) can be found on the EPW Committee website.

Senate EPW Committee Votes 18-0 for Two-Year Highway Bill is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

• Wednesday, March 7, 2012 – Board Meeting
• Tuesday, June 26, 2012 – Board Meeting & Seminar
• Thursday, October 25, 2012 – Highway Users Annual Meeting

All events will be held in Washington, DC.  Highway Users members, please check your email for details.

2012 Highway Users Meetings is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

H.R. 2887 is the eighth extension of SAFETEA-LU.  House Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Reid reached an agreement on the contents of the bill over the weekend.  The agreement kept the bill “clean” – meaning that no changes in policy are included – and at current post-rescission funding levels ($39.0 billion for highways annualized).  Contract authority totaling $19.9 billion for highway construction, $660 million for NHTSA highway safety programs, and $5.1 billion for transit was approved through March 31, 2012.  As part of the agreement, highway user fees to fund the Highway Trust Fund were extended as well.

The decision to pass the extension at 2011 contract authority levels is a victory for highway supporters.  However, some believe that the six-month length of the extension may also relieve pressure from Congress to move the multi-year authorization bill forward at all before 2012 elections.  Both House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Boxer are pushing to make this the last extension before a comprehensive reauthorization bill is completed in early 2012.

The next step is for Congress to appropriate the authorized funds.  This will initially be done through a short-term “continuing resolution”.  We expect that the first continuing resolution will keep funding levels stable.  Ultimately, final funding levels will be affected by the different perspectives of the House & Senate Appropriations Committees, the work of the “Super Committee” and possibly could be even be affected by the unlikely prospects of Congress agreeing to some jobs bill(s) with an infrastructure elements to it.

If you are a Member of The Highway Users and have any questions, please feel free to contact Greg Cohen at gregcohen@highways.org.  Look for additional emails coming soon with more legislative news, including a discussion of the House appropriations bill and President Obama’s Jobs bill.

Are you NOT one of our 16,000 Facebook fans?  Then you are not getting critical daily updates from The Highway Users and you’re missing an opportunity to influence the opinions of our growing social network of highway users.  Be sure to visit www.facebook.com/highwayusers and “Like” us to stay on top of the latest info and get involved!

Congress Passes Six-Month Highway Bill Extension is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

ROADS SAFE Act is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jonathan Hurt, jonathanhurt@highways.org, 202-857-1200

Motorists’ Group Endorses “TRIP Bonds” Legislation

Today the American Highway Users Alliance endorsed new legislation introduced by
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska) establishing a $50 billion dollar tax credit infrastructure program called TRIP (Transportation and Regional Infrastructure Project) bonds.

The Highway Users Alliance applauds the TRIP bonds concept, which would create federal incentives and funding for State Infrastructure Banks to issue infrastructure bonds in all fifty States.  The bonds would be used to get major surface transportation projects built with advanced funding, while keeping federal bureaucracy and Washington politics out of the way.  These bonds will enable the delivery of important projects that can move the economy forward. With transportation reauthorization still being negotiated and tight funding being a new reality facing the States, TRIP bonds are an important supplementary financing tool that can be employed to help States invest in financially-sound projects.

According to Highway Users President & CEO Greg Cohen, “Transportation investments boost our economy and TRIP bonds are a smart way to invest in the future.  This legislation also offers a sensible way encourage the private sector to invest in public road projects. The bond program will provide upfront funding to expedite and encourage major construction efforts.  The bipartisan nature of this legislation is very encouraging and demonstrates the widespread recognition that surface transportation financing must be a national priority.”

Over a six-year period TRIP will allocate one billion dollars in bonds to the infrastructure banks of each state. The banks will then issue the bonds and select the projects to which the funding will apply. States will have the option to collaborate with each other to undertake larger projects.

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The American Highway Users Alliance represents motorists, RV enthusiasts, truckers, bus companies, motorcyclists, and a broad cross-section of businesses that depend on safe and efficient highways to transport their families, customers, employees, and products. Highway Users members pay the taxes that finance the federal highway program and advocate public policies that dedicate those taxes to improved highway safety and mobility.

Motorists’ Group Endorses “TRIP Bonds” Legislation is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

For Immediate Release

Contact: Daisy Singh, daisysingh@highways.org, 202-857-1200

American Highway Users Alliance In Strong Support of Bipartisan “MAP-21” Plan

Today Highway Users President & CEO Greg Cohen praised Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Cal.) and Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works for working together to develop an outstanding federal-aid highway authorization plan.  The bill will be called “MAP-21” (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century).  With the support of Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-La.), the progressive Democrat and Conservative Republican found common ground on policy reforms and national priorities by negotiating behind closed doors for over two years.

“People need to see that even a divisive Congress can still deliver common sense legislation that gets America moving forward,” said Greg Cohen, President of the American Highway Users Alliance.  “There is no more obvious example of legislation that can boost the economy than a well-focused highway bill.  We applaud the Committee leaders for proving bipartisanship is possible and capable of yielding excellent results.”

The title under the Committee’s jurisdiction will maintain current highway funding levels, accelerate project delivery, eliminate earmarks and waste, and offer much more leveraging opportunities for the construction of major state and local projects.  The plan will also reform, eliminate, and consolidate dozens of “ISTEA-era” programs, many of which were created twenty years ago and considered by some to have clouded federal transportation priorities.   The Highway Users Alliance strongly supports the Committee’s efforts to set clear policy priorities, simplify and consolidate programs, streamline project delivery, and concentrate research funding on key national issues.

“Expeditious Senate approval of MAP-21 will result in a reformed, streamlined, robust highway and transportation program that will effectively improve the economy, reduce congestion, and save tens of thousands of lives,” said Cohen.

Cohen concluded, “The next step is to get the transit, commerce and finance titles completed.  Again, these are other opportunities to show that bipartisan cooperation on transportation is a traditional worth keeping.  We should make every effort to get the entire bill through the Senate as soon as possible so that a conference report can be negotiated with the House.  Both the Senate and House must act by September 30th to avoid the worst-possible outcome:  funding cuts without policy reforms.”

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The American Highway Users Alliance represents motorists, RV enthusiasts, truckers, bus companies, motorcyclists, and a broad cross-section of businesses that depend on safe and efficient highways to transport their families, customers, employees, and products. Highway Users members pay the taxes that finance the federal highway program and advocate public policies that dedicate those taxes to improved highway safety and mobility.

Senate Bipartisanship Yields Well-Crafted Highway Proposal is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance

Supporting the Senate’s MAP-21 Highway Bill is a post from: American Highway Users Alliance