House Republicans release transportation reauthorization proposal

Republican members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-Mo.), today released their version of a transportation reauthorization ahead of likely Committee action in early June. The language, which is narrower in scope than the House-passed transportation bill last year, would spend $400 billion over five years on federal-aid highway projects, an increase of 32% over current funding levels.

Dubbed the Surface Transportation Advanced through Reform, Technology & Efficient Review Act 2.0 (STARTER Act 2.0), the legislation includes increases to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). Additional highlights include:

• 100% federal share for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 (rather than the typical 80%/20% or 90%/10% splits)
• Creation of a Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success Council as well as an Office of Rural Economic Investment
• Creation of a Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council which would identify and resolve regulatory gaps that impede innovation and implementation of technologies that improve safety, among other priorities.
• Increases the Private Activity Bond cap from $15 billion to $45 billion
• Creation of a new competitive grant program for connected vehicle deployments
• Creation of a new competitive grant program to test the safe integration of automated driving system technologies
• Creation of national pilot program to test vehicle miles traveled (VMT) user fee systems.
• Directs the Secretary to implement a national VMT pilot program for government-owned vehicles

The full summary of the proposal is available.

ATSSA President and CEO Stacy Tetschner reacted to the latest development in the House of Representatives.

“We’re encouraged that discussions continue to occur in Congress and at the White House on the need to enact a long-term, safety-focused transportation bill before the deadline of Oct. 1,” Tetschner said. “Ranking Member Graves’ proposal is the latest example that roadway safety infrastructure investments are a bipartisan issue and we look forward to working with Congress to get a safety-focused bill signed into law before Oct 1.”