Highway Reauthorization Bill - Deadline Fast Approaching

This summer Congress is expected to reauthorize the Federal Surface Transportation Program, which is currently set to expire September 30, 2009. The so-called Highway Reauthorization Bill is scheduled to be marked up and reported out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by the end of May, with floor time reserved to consider the bill the first week in June. Under the budget resolution just adopted by Congress, $324 billion has been identified as a budget baseline for federal highway and transit spending over the next six years. Members of Congress are required to submit any requests for projects to be included in the Reauthorization Bill to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by close of business May 8, 2009. A questionnaire
must be submitted by a member to support each request.

The bill will be a five-year authorization, so projects not included will not be funded until the next reauthorization in 2014. Anyone interested in having a surface transportation project authorized should contact their congressional representative immediately and be prepared to furnish the information required by the questionnaire. Local support for a proposed project is imperative, as well.