TEA-21 REAUTHORIZATION

The disagreement among the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House on the overall funding of the surface transportation program has led to a year-long delay in the reauthorization of new programs.

At the first conference meeting held on June 23, 2004, Senate conferees agreed to support the Senate-passed funding level of $319 billion. Senator James M. Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the Conference Committee, asked House conferees to return at the next meeting to formally respond to the offer. The next meeting was postponed twice because House conferees could not reach consensus on their response.

On July 20, 2004, to move the process, Inhofe introduced a $301-billion funding proposal. It represented an attempt to split the difference between the House- and Senate-passed levels, set the minimum guarantee to states at 94 percent (an ongoing issue of contention) and include a few pet projects. He requested that conferees be prepared to vote on the motion at their next meeting.

However, on July 22, 2004, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, presented a $299-billion funding proposal. Thomas stated tliat it was a funding level President George W Bush would sign because it did not raise taxes, increase the size of the deficit, or borrow from the general fund. Bush advisors indicated that they had not reviewed the proposal and would not publicly affirm presidential support of the measure.

The proposal received a wary response from conferees. Members expressed concern about the low numbers and the Senates likely rejection of the proposal because it fell below tlieir initial compromised offering. As such, it was not put to a vote. Instead, committee staff reviewed the proposal during die summer recess to determine how it would impact transportation programs and die minimum guarantee to states.

The fifth extension of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century will expire in two phases. Highway program funding will expire on September 24, 2004 and the remainder of the programs will expire on September 30, 2004-the end of fiscal year 2004.

Specific provisions that have been approved by the surface transportation authorization Conference Committee can be viewed online at epw.senate.gov/.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL BILL