Moran Announces House Passage Of Legislation To Keep Kansas Highway Projects On Schedule

Congressman Jerry Moran today announced House passage of legislation to ensure state highway projects can continue as scheduled. The bill fixes a funding shortfall by returning money previously borrowed from the Highway Trust Fund. For Kansas, the projected shortfall would be more than $115 million and would mean many scheduled projects would not be completed. It would also mean delays for 90 state and local projects that would result in up to a loss of 8,250 jobs.

"In Kansas, we depend upon our infrastructure," Moran said. "The passage of this bill is necessary to continue driving the Kansas economy. It is important that Congress fix this problem in the short-term, but also that we determine how to fund other highway and transportation needs in the future."

The bill, H.R. 6532, returns previously borrowed money from the General Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund to allow state transportation plans to be completed on time. If the trust fund goes unfixed, it is estimated that states would take a nearly 30 percent cut in anticipated highway and bridge funds. This legislation will fix the problem until members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee begin drafting the next five-year highway authorization bill next year and can consider options for a long-term fix.

Moran was an original sponsor of this legislation. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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