Missouri senator & congressman poised to influence TEA-21 re-authorization

An article in today's St. Joseph News-Press reports on the progress on TEA-21 re-authorization. TEA-21 and its predecessor, ISTEA, have been the main federal funding vehicle for bicycle- and pedestrian-related transportation improvements over the past 10 years or so. Projects include such things as bike/hike trails and comprehensive bicycle transportation plans such as BikeKC, recently passed by Kansas City, MO.

Last year, Missourians paid $757 million in federal fuel taxes and Missouri received only $592 million back. The article explains the reasoning behind the funding formula that makes some states "donor states" and others "recipient states".

According to the article, Missouri Senator Kit Bond "with his 16 years of seniority, serves on the Committee on Environment and Public Works, along with the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, with a chance to play a prominent role in drafting the legislation". (However, with the recent changes in the senate, Mr. Bond may be pegged to chair a different committee.)

Missouri Congressman Sam Graves (6th district, St. Joseph area, Republican) is on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Both would be key players in the TEA-21 re-authorization, and need to hear regularly from Missourians who support bicycle, pedestrian, and mass transit initiatives (click on legislators' names, above, to visit a page with info about how to contact them).

Bob Foster of the Missouri Bicycle Federation is particularly interested in finding any cyclists or cycle-related businesses who have worked with Senator Bond in the past. Read Bob's article to the STLBikeFed email list.

Read the complete St. Joseph News-Press article here.

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