Senate Budget Resolution Could Impact Transportation Reauthorization

Conferees are expected to meet on Monday to negotiate final compromises on the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2010 Congressional budget resolution. House and Senate consideration of the final measure is expected as early as Wednesday. The budget resolution sets the parameters governing spending decisions by Congress this year. It has particular impact on the highway and transit programs because SAFETEA-LU, the authorization for these programs, expires on September 30, 2009. The amount of funding that can be included in the SAFETEA-LU reauthorization legislation is impacted by the budget resolution.  The Senate version contains an artificially and substantially lower spending level for highway programs than the House and, if included in the compromise, will significantly undermine the ability of Congress to enact reauthorization legislation at an increased level. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and Highway Subcommittee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) called on AGC and other transportation groups to unite in supporting the House version of the budget resolution. Both called this action, "The beginning of the fight for a well funded transportation authorization bill," and pointed out that, "The game is over if we lose this battle."  AGC and our coalition partners - Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) and Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM) - have written to and are contacting House and Senate budget Committee members as well as other Senators and Representatives in support of the House language. Other provisions in the resolution are favorable to transportation, including a reserve fund provision allowing for additional highway and transit funding if new legislation is enacted that provides additional revenue. A proposal from the Obama Administration to use the resolution to change the budget treatment of the Highway Trust Fund was rejected.