AmericaBikes posted the following summary of the passing of the TEA-21 renewal package in the Senate yesterday:
Last night, the Senate passed S. 1072, the successor to TEA-21 by a vote of 76 to 21. Our bike stuff fared well. Existing programs such as Enhancements, Rec Trails, CMAQ, etc continue. Safe Routes to School is funded at $70 million a year.
Debate on the bill centered around the $318 billion price tag. Fiscal conservatives complained that the bill's spending was not in line with the 2004 budget, and that the funding package was laced with credits, offsets and other "funny money." But other Senators, eager to send "jobs, jobs, jobs" back to their states, overrode those objections to pass the bill. Senators also chose to overlook President Bush's theat to veto the bill which calls for $62 billion more than the President's proposal.
HIGHLIGHTS of the bill: * Safe Routes is funded at $70 million per year. * Enhancements is slated to receive $4.79 billion over the next six years, up from $3.33 billion under TEA-21. * Rec Trails will receive $360 million over six years, up from $270 million under TEA-21 * A new Alternative Transportation in National Parks Program, funded at $25 million a year, includes bike/ped projects in the eligible activities. * Bicyclists and pedestrians have been added to the list of "interested parties" invited to comment on transportation plans (both TIPs and Statewide Plans). * funding for a bicycle and pedestrian information center is included. a more detailed funding chart is at http://www.americabikes.org/transportationbill_fundingchart.asp
ONE OTHER AMENDMENT: * In last minute amendments, language was added to Enhancements which reads "Among the bicycle and pedestrian facility enhancement projects under consideration, the Secretary shall urge that a priority be given to those pedestrian and bicycle facility projects that include a coordinated physical or healthy lifestyle program." This language was introduced by Senator Harkin (D-IA) who said "possible examples of such efforts might include an exercise course on the side of a trail."
WHAT'S NEXT: The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee of the House of Representatives is scheduled to consider their bill H.R. 3550 "TEA-LU" the first week in March. Then the House bill will go to the full House of Representatives for a vote. Then the two bills will go to a conference committee to work out the differences.
Given the circumstances, we are pleased with the outcome in the Senate. It's not revolutionary, but it could have been much, much worse. Many thanks for your assistance.
As always, we'll keep you posted. If you don't receive these updates directly, "join the team" at www.americabikes.org.
Comments:
1 comment on this article
Brent Hugh wrote:
02/13/04 07:07pm •
66.142.41.195
Last evening, the U.S. Senate cleared its version
of TEA-21 renewal, known as SAFETEA, on a 76-21 vote, after defeating only
a handful of amendments and adopting scores of others in a couple of
massive "managers' amendments."
Despite a tortuous process of
debate and procedural objections spanning eight workdays, the end came
quickly as the bill's managers decided to accept a number of the more than
280 amendments pending before the Senate.
The Senate-passed bill
provides total spending level of $ 318 billion over six years, with $255
billion (about $238 billion in actual obligation authority) for highway and
bridge programs and $56.5 billion for transit investment. In the end, the
bill provides that the full $56.5 billion will be available for transit
programs over the six years. The overall spending level is substantially
above the President's request of $256 billion. Despite clear Administration
opposition and even a veto threat, the Senate pressed on and approved the
measure, signaling their intention to deal with funding concerns later in
the process. During the Senate floor debate, there were many times when the
bill's leaders made pledges to deal with issues in conference, which means
during negotiations with the House over a final bill.
While the
full details of what the Senate adopted are still being analyzed, there are
several overriding issues to note --
-- basic structure of the
ISTEA/TEA-21 framework remains (Enhancements, CMAQ, TCSP, JARC, New Starts,
and other existing programs are continued);
-- bill for the first
time ensures that all highway funds provided to states will be programmed
to the core programs (original five -- Bridge, Surface Transportation
Program, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality, Interstate Maintenance and
National Highway System -- and two new core programs -- Highway Safety
Improvement Program and Infrastructure Performance and Maintenance
Program);
-- the original five core programs -- Bridge, CMAQ, IM,
NHS, and STP -- grow at the same rate (roughly 60 percent over the life of
the bill);
-- spending firewalls are continued for both highways
and transit; and
-- no special projects are included in the bill
(albeit some specialized provisions and program targets).
Some
notably program initiatives in the bill include --
-- new Safe Routes
to School program funded at $70 million annually over the six years;
-- new program funding for stormwater projects on the federal aid
system (each state must reserve must reserve 2% of STP funds, totaling
about $1 billion nationwide over the six years);
-- MPOs will
receive more planning funds through adjustments in the share for PL
program;
-- bill includes a $2 billion annual authorization for Amtrak
as well as some additional program authorizations to support freight and
passenger rail investment by the states; and
-- bill includes the
massive bonding program, known as the Talent-Wyden bill (not to be confused
with the Baucus-Grassley plan that caused our coalition problems), that
authorizes more than $50 billion in financing for transportation
infrastructure.
The bonding program most notably, like many of the
other provisions in the massive managers' amendment, was added at the end
of the debate on the bill so it is uncertain how these will fare in
negotiations with the House.
There are numerous provisions that
affect clean air, Section 4(f), NEPA/project delivery, and planning
processes --
-- clean air, particularly the shortened conformity
horizon for transportation plans, stands out as the most significant
weakening of current law in this area;
-- Section 4(f) standard
was adjusted to allow an exception for so called "de minis" impacts,
changes that are being reviewed to understand fully how the intent of the
38-year standard is affected; and
-- the many NEPA/project
delivery changes are being critiqued in the context of the full bill and
effects on current practices, with the basic intent of these changes aimed
at empowering project sponsors, largely state DOTs, to get more timely
resolution of conflicts that arise.
STPP and its many coalition
partners have expressed opposition to and strong reservations to many of
the proposals in these areas and are working to clarify how these
provisions will help or harm local efforts and will work to seek necessary
adjustments as the legislation moves forward.
We will provide
additional information on the Senate legislation as it becomes available.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected
to consider its version of TEA-21 renewal during the first week of
March.
Finally, a note to say thanks to all of you for your many
efforts throughout the deliberations on the Senate bill to hold provisions
that further our transportation reform efforts and modify others that
threatened this progress. Much work lies ahead and we will call upon to
help keep transportation reform on the agenda and moving forward.
Despite a tortuous process of debate and procedural objections spanning eight workdays, the end came quickly as the bill's managers decided to accept a number of the more than 280 amendments pending before the Senate.
The Senate-passed bill provides total spending level of $ 318 billion over six years, with $255 billion (about $238 billion in actual obligation authority) for highway and bridge programs and $56.5 billion for transit investment. In the end, the bill provides that the full $56.5 billion will be available for transit programs over the six years. The overall spending level is substantially above the President's request of $256 billion. Despite clear Administration opposition and even a veto threat, the Senate pressed on and approved the measure, signaling their intention to deal with funding concerns later in the process. During the Senate floor debate, there were many times when the bill's leaders made pledges to deal with issues in conference, which means during negotiations with the House over a final bill.
While the full details of what the Senate adopted are still being analyzed, there are several overriding issues to note --
-- basic structure of the ISTEA/TEA-21 framework remains (Enhancements, CMAQ, TCSP, JARC, New Starts, and other existing programs are continued);
-- bill for the first time ensures that all highway funds provided to states will be programmed to the core programs (original five -- Bridge, Surface Transportation Program, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality, Interstate Maintenance and National Highway System -- and two new core programs -- Highway Safety Improvement Program and Infrastructure Performance and Maintenance Program);
-- the original five core programs -- Bridge, CMAQ, IM, NHS, and STP -- grow at the same rate (roughly 60 percent over the life of the bill);
-- spending firewalls are continued for both highways and transit; and
-- no special projects are included in the bill (albeit some specialized provisions and program targets).
Some notably program initiatives in the bill include --
-- new Safe Routes to School program funded at $70 million annually over the six years;
-- new program funding for stormwater projects on the federal aid system (each state must reserve must reserve 2% of STP funds, totaling about $1 billion nationwide over the six years);
-- MPOs will receive more planning funds through adjustments in the share for PL program;
-- bill includes a $2 billion annual authorization for Amtrak as well as some additional program authorizations to support freight and passenger rail investment by the states; and
-- bill includes the massive bonding program, known as the Talent-Wyden bill (not to be confused with the Baucus-Grassley plan that caused our coalition problems), that authorizes more than $50 billion in financing for transportation infrastructure.
The bonding program most notably, like many of the other provisions in the massive managers' amendment, was added at the end of the debate on the bill so it is uncertain how these will fare in negotiations with the House.
There are numerous provisions that affect clean air, Section 4(f), NEPA/project delivery, and planning processes --
-- clean air, particularly the shortened conformity horizon for transportation plans, stands out as the most significant weakening of current law in this area;
-- Section 4(f) standard was adjusted to allow an exception for so called "de minis" impacts, changes that are being reviewed to understand fully how the intent of the 38-year standard is affected; and
-- the many NEPA/project delivery changes are being critiqued in the context of the full bill and effects on current practices, with the basic intent of these changes aimed at empowering project sponsors, largely state DOTs, to get more timely resolution of conflicts that arise.
STPP and its many coalition partners have expressed opposition to and strong reservations to many of the proposals in these areas and are working to clarify how these provisions will help or harm local efforts and will work to seek necessary adjustments as the legislation moves forward.
We will provide additional information on the Senate legislation as it becomes available.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to consider its version of TEA-21 renewal during the first week of March.
Finally, a note to say thanks to all of you for your many efforts throughout the deliberations on the Senate bill to hold provisions that further our transportation reform efforts and modify others that threatened this progress. Much work lies ahead and we will call upon to help keep transportation reform on the agenda and moving forward.