Highway Users demands action from Congress

The American Highway Users Alliance released letters to the House and Senate leaders of both parties and the secretary of transportation yesterday asking for their leadership to maintain and enhance “user-fee” funding of federal-aid highway programs, prevent collapse of the Highway Trust Fund and enact a strong, reformed, six-year highway bill.

Highway Users President and CEO Greg Cohen said, “Congressional leaders and the Obama administration must take immediate action to restore public trust in the Highway Trust Fund and the ‘user pays, user benefits’ principles that undergird the fund. The following actions are critical:

• “Immediately correct past diversions and transfers from the Highway Trust Fund to restore the fund’s solvency and increase the cash balance;
• “Enact a jobs bill that is substantially focused on highway and bridge projects that benefit America’s economy;
• “Responsibly increase the excise fees on fuels to account for inflation, engine efficiency, alternative fuels and increased highway and bridge safety needs. Guarantee that the highway user fees will be spent on projects that benefit users;
• “Enact a strong, six-year surface transportation authorization bill that fully ties federal highway user revenues to funding levels for highway investments; and
• “Ensure that the highway bill retains ‘contract authority’ and six years of guaranteed funding so that transportation agencies, planners and contractors can securely invest in employees and equipment.”