WASHINGTON — Four congressional Democrats and Republicans are preparing to send a letter signed by almost 300 colleagues that urges House leaders enact multiyear transportation funding legislation before May 31 when the current law expires.
"We respectfully urge you to move a responsibly paid-for multiyear surface transportation bill that will support much needed economic growth throughout our nation," said the letter. "We stand ready to work with you on this endeavor in the coming months."
The four lawmakers behind the effort to send the letter to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are: Reps. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., Reid Ribble, R-Wis., Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., and Tom Reed, R-N.Y.
The House members said they were pleased that Congress was able to enact the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) in 2012. That law has been extended for short periods several times, causing state and local government officials to complain that they can't move forward with projects given the uncertainty about whether they will have future funding.
"But we are troubled by the significant uncertainty that has plagued federal highway and transit policy in recent years," they said. "In the last decade, there have been nine short-term extensions of highway and transit programs. This kind of uncertainty impedes economic growth and makes it difficult for our country to fulfill its competitive potential."
The current extension of the Highway Trust Fund is scheduled to expire on May 31.
"We are united in our conviction that now is the time to end the cycle of short-term extensions that kick the can down the road by doing the work needed to pass a multiyear surface transportation reauthorization bill," the lawmakers told Boehner and Pelosi.
