Hartzler and House Approve Bill to Fund Highways and Keep Missouri Families on the Road

Statement

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) and the House have approved the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, H.R. 5021, to fund transportation projects and keep our highways safe.

"In 2013, Missouri received 45 percent of its transportation funding from the federal government," said Hartzler. "It is projected that the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) will go broke within the next 30 days unless Congress takes action to address the problem. If the HTF becomes insolvent, the Department of Transportation will slow the reimbursement of money to states for transportation projects -- and that would hurt Missouri, possibly leading to safety being compromised and construction jobs being placed in jeopardy as road and bridge construction projects are abandoned. We have a responsibility to make sure the roads are safe for Missouri families as we protect jobs."

"The bill approved by the House is budget-neutral, achieved through offsets to keep the HTF funded for one year," added Hartzler. "While this bill will keep the HTF funded in the short term, it does not provide a long-term solution for our roads or the people who use them. Congress needs to use the time afforded to it by this bill to develop a feasible and sustainable solution to maintain the solvency of the HTF."

Source