Surface Transportation Authorization

House Taking Action on the Surface Transportation Authorization 

Rumor has it that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will be marking up its surface transportation authorization (STA) bill on Thursday, February 2, 2012. If that schedule holds, look for a draft of the bill to be publicly released as soon as this Friday. 

The House did release a new summary of their proposed STA bill. The 14-page document is long on words but short on details. As expected, the House plans to introduce a five-year bill at “current funding levels” paid for by expanded oil and gas drilling leases. The bill also looks to consolidate duplicative federal programs, streamline environmental reviews, and increase wasteful public-private partnerships in all modes of transportation. The full summary can be found at NASHTU’s website.

• House STA One Page Facts Sheet
  

• House STA Summary

Consulting Engineers Show Their Cards 

As reported, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee passed a new two-year, $109 million Surface Transportation Authorization (STA), but not before consulting engineer interests attempted to insert an amendment to encourage State DOTs to “utilize private engineering firms to the maximum extent possible.” Senator John Boozman (R-AR) actually claimed that using private sector engineering firms will save money and create “private sector” jobs. Since this amendment will likely surface again, please contact your United State Senators immediately and share with them the excessive cost of outsourcing engineering services. NASHTU has drafted a letter that you can customize and e-mail or fax to your senator.

Also, outsourcing advocates certainly didn’t stop with the Senate – look for similar amendments to surface during the House debate. The House is expected to move on their own version of the Surface Transportation Authorization in December. 

• Draft Letter in Opposition to Outsourcing Amendment

Surface Transportation Authorization Language 

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee published its version of a new Surface Transportation Authorization (STA) that preserves current funding levels plus inflation. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) passed unanimously out of the EPW committee yesterday with 18 amendments that were previously agreed to by committee leadership. For more details, click on the links below. 

• MAP-21 Summary
  
  

• MAP-21 Bill Text
  
  

• En Bloc Amendments  
  
  

• Manager's Amendments
  

Federal Transportation Reauthorization Proposals

NASHTU is seeking to include the provisions of two legislative proposals in the next federal transportation authorization.  The first proposal is found within H.R. 328 (Filner – D-CA).  This legislation can be condensed and included in the authorization as follows: “public employees shall carry out the construction inspection functions for all surface transportation projects receiving Federal funding.”  NASHTU’s second proposal would require that state and local transportation departments perform a cost comparison analysis prior to outsourcing work.  These common sense provisions would protect public safety and safeguard transportation dollars. 

• Click here to read NASHTU’s letter to Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA). 

• Click here to read NASHTU’s letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair John Mica (R-FL). 

NASHTU’s members should also request that the Senate Environment and Public Works and the House Transportation and Infrastructure committees include these important provisions in the reauthorization.  Please customize the letters below and e-mail/fax them in today.

• Union Letter to Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

• Union Letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair John Mica (R-FL)

Senate Letter
Chair Barbara Boxer
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
E-mail: david_napoliello@epw.senate.gov or andrew_dohrmann@epw.senate.gov 
Fax: 202-224-1273

House Letter
Chair John Mica
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
E-mail: geoffrey.strobeck@mail.house.gov
Fax: 202-225-6782