House Passes Critical Fix to Highway Trust Fund

Press Release

House Passes Critical Fix to Highway Trust Fund

Legislation restores $8 billion to fix shortfall in funds promised to states for transportation infrastructure

Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (Md.-07), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined his colleagues in supporting the final passage of H.R. 6532, which would restore $8 billion to the Highway Trust Fund used to finance our nation's transportation infrastructure.

"With so many other problems weighing down American families right now, we do not need the added burden of fears about bridges collapsing beneath us as we drive home from work or take our children to school," Congressman Cummings said. "This legislation is absolutely crucial in ensuring that our states have the monies promised to them for the critical projects that keep our roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure intact."

The Highway Trust Fund is sustained by revenues from the gas tax, and the account is experiencing declining revenue resulting from the weakening economy, as car sales are down and people substitute public transportation for driving in response to high gas prices.

Without this legislative fix, which restores $8 billion that was borrowed by the General Fund, the U.S. Department of Transportation would begin reimbursing states at less than 100 percent of the amounts of money promised by the federal government for transportation projects. The State of Maryland is projected to receive more than $611 million from the Highway Trust Fund in fiscal year 2009; without the fix, the State would lose more than $190 million of that funding.

The legislation comes on the heels of an announcement yesterday by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley that a decline in revenue from taxes on gas and vehicle titling will force the State to cut $1.1 billion in transportation funding—a problem being faced by states throughout the country.

"The deficits in funding for transportation projects are a cause for deep concern, and they underscore a larger problem being experienced throughout our entire nation as we continue to cope with the effects of Bush-McCain economic policies," Congressman Cummings said. "While there is no overnight solution to generate the revenues necessary to maintain and strengthen our infrastructure, my colleagues and I will continue taking all of the necessary steps to ensure that we are able to see this crisis through."

The Senate passed the companion bill last night, and it will now be sent to the President, who is expected to sign it into law.

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