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The federal highway program is in crisis. Funding for the program expires at the end of May. With the expiration drawing near the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee has begun to draft a new highway bill.<\/p>\n
The Environment and Public Works Committee is responsible for governing the highway program and the policy reforms to make highway projects less expensive and more efficient.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately the expiration of the bill coincides with the beginning of construction season in many states so Congress must act fast to finalize the bill before it expires.<\/p>\n
Many states fear there will be no money to complete big transportation projects so they are putting their projects on hold which will shorten their construction season.<\/p>\n
The current 10-month extension which expires in May and is just another short-term fix for the problem that congress has created in the past six years – the 32nd<\/sup> short-term fix actually. American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) may have a long-term solution to the funding problem.<\/p>\n They are proposing to hike the federal fuel tax by 15 cents per gallon. They know this would be a huge financial hit to consumers so in order to offset that impact they propose to also give a federal income tax rebate for middle and lower income Americans for six years to offset the cost of the fuel hike. This works out to about $90 per single tax filer who makes an Adjusted Gross Income of $100000 or less. Those filing jointly making $200000 or less would receive $180 per year.<\/p>\n