Rep. John Lewis Sponsors Highway Trust Fund Fairness Act
Today May 13, 2009, Rep. John Lewis introduced the Highway Trust Fund Fairness Act of 2009, H.R. 2391, during National Transportation Week (May 10-16, 2009). This legislation would more fairly administer the fund to respond to current fiscal concerns. The Highway Trust Fund was first established in 1956 to dedicate federal resources to the maintenance and construction of state, local and national highway projects.
For many years the fund operated at a surplus, and some of its monies were diverted to meet other federal budgetary challenges. Last year in an emergency move Congress was forced to replace the $8 billion that had been previously diverted. This bill offers additional ways to help preserve the integrity of the trust fund to meet transportation needs, as recommended by the Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. The thrust of the national surface transportation reauthorization process is to preserve the integrity of the Highway Trust Fund.
Under current law, any interest trust fund monies accrue do not benefit the fund. This bill would change that and allow any interest the trust fund surplus gain to be retained by the fund. The bill also shifts credits for certain exemptions and repayments away from the responsibility of the trust fund into the General Fund.
“Our nation’s roads are the heart of our system of transportation,” said Rep. John Lewis. “And we have one of the best highway systems in the world. We need to do all we can to protect the resources we have set aside to strengthen and maintain that system.”
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CONTACT:
Brenda Jones
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