If Jobs Matter: Finish the Energy and Highway Bills

IF JOBS MATTER: FINISH THE ENERGY AND HIGHWAY BILLS
Publication: From the Desk of Senator Norm Coleman

March 2004 - We've reached the time in Washington when sunshine, cute babies and the smell of coffee in the morning are likely to be deeply controversial. Our quadrennial electoral cycle has this period of maximum divisiveness and gamesmanship. My request to the rest of the Congress and the administration is: in spite of it all, let's get something done.

There are two bills before the Congress nearing final action which could have a major effect on Minnesota economy and rural development. That is if we can get them to the president's desk and into law. The long-debated Energy bill, which Democrats continue to filibuster. And the Highway bill, which has passed the Senate, has stalled in the House, and which the president has threatened to veto. For the sake of Minnesota, I hope the choice is not "either /or", or worst yet "neither /nor." We need "both / and."

Every Minnesotan knows the need for an Energy bill every time they fill up, open their utility bill or look at the front page of the paper. The energy bill before the Senate will increase domestic supplies of energy, most importantly Minnesota-made bio-fuels, already a half billion dollar Minnesota industry. The economic impact of the renewable fuels standard contained in the energy bill alone is 214,000 new, good paying jobs on and off the farm, a $35 billion reduction in our trade deficit, and a $50 billion increase in household income. The bill also keeps hope alive for an economically and environmentally critical new $800 million coal gasification plant, which could generate hundreds of construction and operating jobs in northeastern Minnesota.

One provision that was said to be the key objection to the bill was dropped to garner the necessary support to move the bill, even over the strong objections of key Republicans on the House side. But like a shell game, when that problem was addressed, Democrats just moved onto another. It has gotten to the point that opponents seem more intent on using the environment to kill the bill than to clean it up.

Congress also needs to get in gear and pass a new highway bill, which redistributes to the states the billions collected at America's gas pumps and various sources and collected in the Highway Trust Fund.

The president requested a Highway Bill of $256 billion over six years to fund not only highway construction, but transit, safety improvement and R&D on new ways to move people and products. The president has threatened a veto out of his legitimate concern for the deficit. But I believe we can address his concerns and keep this bill - and America moving.

As mayor of St. Paul, I saw firsthand the importance of urban infrastructure and the negative impact traffic congestion has upon our cities. The Twin Cities area actually leads the nation in growth of congestion. In fact, Minnesota now surpasses every other state in the percentage of urban freeways that are congested: 71 percent. Minnesotans are far more likely to be driving on a congested freeway than those in any other state. This legislation could help Minnesota alleviate this congestion.
Under the Senate bill, Minnesota would receive $4.4 billion, an 80 per cent increase and the largest percentage change the nation.

The increase in Minnesota's federal highway funding is due in large part to a recently added provision that protects and preserves the important ethanol tax credit. This alone boosted Minnesota highway funding over the life of the bill by over $1 billion above previously scheduled levels. The provision known as the "volumetric tax credit" was successfully advanced by a bipartisan group of senators led by Minority Leader Tom Daschle and me.

This bill is not only an opportunity to build and repair our highways, bridges, and transit systems to enhance safety and relieve traffic congestion, but it is also a chance to create jobs and stimulate economic recovery. This bill will create 2.8 million jobs nationwide over the next six years and 38,100 new jobs in the state of Minnesota.

Transportation infrastructure drives most of the traditional Minnesota economy. You can't deliver a hog or a bushel of beans over the internet. We depend on roads, rail and barges to bring our grains, cattle, timber and mining products to market. One of the best things we can do to revitalize our rural economy is to lower their cost of production by increasing their access to first class transportation options.

I know as well as anyone that this is a time when America is at war and our deficits are high. Those two things go together. But this is no time to ignore our long term economic development.

Though America has urgent security needs and a deficit which is way too high, we cannot fail to look to the future. On behalf of all Minnesotans I will do my best to get an energy and a highway bill passed and signed into law that serve our economic future and freedom.

By Senator Norm Coleman