TEA-21 Updates - Archives

March, 2005

This week the House of Representatives is scheduled to take up H.R. 3, the Transportation Equity Act: Legacy for Users (TEA-LU). The bill would reauthorize TEA-21 and provide $284 billion over six years. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the bill on March 2.

The measure essentially mirrors legislation passed by the House last year. Negotiations on a compromise measure broke down in conference committee leading to an extension of TEA-21 that runs through the end of May. The funding level of $284 billion is higher than the House bill from a year ago and matches the amount proposed by the Bush Administration.

http://www.planning.org/fromwashington/vol6/no5.htm

The following article discusses the introduction of the new House of Representatives TEA-21 (federal transportation bill) reauthorization. The bill is again called "TEA-LU" (Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users). The bill identifies funding for the completion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway in West Virginia. For more information please click here

October, 2004

From the American Planning Association’s "From Washington" e-update

8-Month Extension for TEA-21

REAUTHORIZATION PUSHED INTO 109TH CONGRESS

With time expiring on the fifth extension of the nation's surface transportation law, Congress opted for a long-term extension of current law. The extension passed at the end of September will run through May 2005. Although it remains possible that reauthorization of TEA-21 might be addressed in a post-election lame duck session, the much more likely scenario is that the 109th Congress will take up reauthorization next year.

The extension provides funding authorization for highway and transit programs at levels provided for in the House-passed reauthorization bill (H.R. 3550) for Fiscal Year 2005. However, guaranteed funding levels in the bill are pegged to the FY05 budget resolution. Among the implications is that transit spending will remain flat for the first eight months of FY05 unless adjusted in the final transportation appropriations bill. There are differences between the House and Senate on the FY05 transportation appropriations bill with the House mirroring the budget resolution and the Senate providing a modest increase.

The extension ends months of wrangling among top Republicans over an appropriate funding level for transportation. The White House and Congress were unable to bridge the gap between the Senate's $318 billion package and the House's $284 billion. An attempt to craft a compromise at $299 billion ultimately fell short. Complicating negotiations was the desire for so-called donor states, those that contribute more to the highway trust fund in gas taxes than they receive in federal aid, to increase their guaranteed return.

None of the new programs or policy changes contained in either the House or Senate bills were included in the extension. It is not yet clear how much of the previously adopted bills would be carried over in new legislation. New committee and floor action on reauthorization would be required once the 109th Congress convenes in January.

September, 2004

Presidential candidates answer questions about TEA-21
The following information is provided from the California Automobile Club regarding questions posed to presidential candidates on their views on the reauthorization of TEA-21. For more information please click here

August, 2004

STPP has sent out the following update on the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill, TEA-21.

Please contact David Ginns at dginns@sustainablepittsburgh.org if you have any questions. To access the update please click here

July, 2004

On Thursday, July 22, the conferees met and discussed a package calling for $299 billion in contract authority and about $284 billion in guaranteed spending. Tax Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (D-CA) indicated that this package is something the President would be able to sign. However, it was offered to the conferees without either the Senate side or the House side conferees voting to adopt the proposal. Instead, staff was directed to work until Congress returns after Labor Day to see if a package can be developed at these spending levels, a tall order for the staff.

The conferees held their third meeting today (July 7th). During the meeting 31 staff recommendations were approved. The House was expected to respond to the Senate’s $318 billion funding offer. Their response was to ask for additional time before acting on the Senate offer. The next conference committee meeting is scheduled to be held at 11AM Tuesday, July 13th.

Once conferees finally settle on a funding level, they will then begin to focus on controversial policy issues. The latest extension runs out July 31, so unless lawmakers approve a new six-year bill before they break for the August recess, slated to begin July 23, they will need to pass a fifth extension to fund transportation programs through at least September 7, when Congress returns to Washington.

There seem to be a number of scenarios floating around about a 5th extension. One scenario is to extend TEA-21 until the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2005. Another alternative is a one-year bill with project earmarks at the House-passed FY 2005 Budget Resolution spending levels. This extension would likely include a short-term funding increase.

From the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

June, 2004

The conference committee has held its initial meeting to resolve differences in the House and Senate versions of the reauthorization bill. The next meeting will be held on 6/23 at which time a fourth extension must be granted. This could be as short as one month or could be drawn out past the election. For more information please click here for more information..

The Surface Transportation Policy Project has reported that both the Senate and House Conferees have been named to work out differences in the Senate bill (S. 1072) and House bill (H.R. 3550) for reauthorization of the federal transportation bill, TEA-21. Unfortunately, no conferees from Pennsylvania were named from either chamber. The current extension of TEA-21 expires June 30th. Therefore, another extension must be passed to allow time for the conferees to meet. STPP is monitoring this vote as it will indicate when the reauthorization bill will be passed, i.e., if it is only a one month extension the bill will move forward quickly, but if the extension is granted for a longer period, the bill may not move forward until after the elections.
Please click here for more information.

May, 2004

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO - regional transportation planning agency), has announced the availability of the draft Transportation Improvement Program for 2005-2008 (TIP). Other documents for review include the Air Quality Assessment for the TIP and an amendment to the 2030 Long Range Plan Financial Element.

See please click here for a copy of these documents and the PPP schedule. Public comments on these documents will be accepted until June 8.

Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) has been attendance at each of the meetings of the Public Participation Panels (PPPs). TLC has used this opportunity to meet again with citizen groups who submitted testimony on their projects to the PPPs in August and September. These groups were featured in the Winter 2003 edition of "Transformation".

TLC continues to follow-up on its testimony letter that called for reforms such as improvements to the public participation process and project prioritization. These reforms are now being requested at the PPP meetings by members of the PPP, e.g. Westmoreland County. These reforms will be incorporated into comments submitted for the next Federal Certification Review due in 2005 that will serve as the basis for the next Long Range Plan update and TIP.

Transportation Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E., on April 29 announced the state Transportation Commission's approval of $35.9 million in federal funds for 127 transportation enhancement projects. The list of approved projects for the ten county southwestern Pa. region can be found by clicking here. Sustainable Pittsburgh and TLC sent a letter of support for the Ride, Rack, and Roll program to place bike racks on additional Port Authority buses. Port Authority was awarded $290,150 for the Ride, Rack, and Roll program.

On April 29, just one day before the TEA-21 law was set to expire for the third time, the Senate passed a two-month extension bill (H.R. 4219), sending the legislation to the President for his signature. The U.S. House of Representatives initiated the extension measure, approving it April 28 on a 410- 0 vote.

This extension through June 30 follows the same rules for allocating federal highway, transit and safety funds that are now in effect. Under the measure, states and local agencies will receive a prorated share (i.e. 2/12) of the program funds that have been previously appropriated for Fiscal Year 2004. It is now assumed that before June 30 the next extension bill will either provide a few additional weeks to complete negotiations on a final six-year agreement or it will extend the TEA-21 law through September 30, 2005 to coincide with the end of the next federal fiscal year (FY'05).

April, 2004

The Surface Transportation Policy Project has recently issued a statement from Anne Canby, STPP President, regarding passage of the House of Representatives bill for reauthorization of the current transportation law, TEA-21. A conference committee to work out a compromise between this bill and the Senate's SAFETEA bill passed in February is anticipated to begin its work after the Spring district work period which ends on April 16.

Please click here for more information on this statement.

The House has reported out a bill (H.R. 3550) which is set at $275 Billion. The White House has indicated it will issue a veto because the bill can be revisited to increase funding levels after the first two years of the bill. The read the opposition of the White House to the proposed please click here for a copy of the bill.

March, 2004

Surface Transportation Policy Project conference call re: TEA-21 Reauthorization

Friday, March 19

1:00 pm

Please RSVP to mailto:dvalencia@transact.org to obtain the call in number.

According to Anne Canby, the President of STPP, STPP will be hosting a conference call on Friday, March 19th at 1:00 pm about the TEA-21 renewal. STPP will review the following letter and ask organizations for input about issues of concern to their region or organization.

Please RSVP to mailto:dvalencia@transact.org to obtain the call in number.

If you want to receive Action Alerts to let your congresspersons know of your concerns with this bill, please send an E-mail to dginns@sustainablepittsburgh.org. Those who attended the February 27th Transportation Issues Update will automatically be notified.

TLC is in DC attending the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Legislative Conference. There are several positions that we want to bring to your attention regarding the reauthorization of the federal bill and other legislative matters.
For more information please click here to access the tea-21 update at APTA website.

For more information please click here

February, 2004

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, February 11, unanimously approved a four month extension for the funding of national highway and transit programs in the federal transportation bill known as TEA-21. The following is the press release from the House of Representatives. The extension of TEA-21 will be discussed at the February 27 TLC Issues Update.

To read the entire press release please click here