Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee are pushing to restore $5.7 billion of the $8.6 billion in federal highway funds that President Bush proposed cutting in fiscal year 2003.
 |
| Environment Committee Chairman Jeffords (Photo courtesy of the Office of Sen. James M. Jeffords) |
On June 4, the committee approved a bill that would set the highway obligation ceiling for 2003 at $28.9 billion, which is $5.7 billion above the highway spending that Bush recommended in his budget proposal.
Committee Chairman James M. Jeffords (Ind.-Vt.) said the bill results from negotiations with the Budget and Appropriations Committees and distributes the additional highway money to states by existing formulas.
Going a step further, the panel added an amendment from Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and John Warner (R-Va.) to put all of the $5.7 billion under the protection of the budget "firewall" contained in the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. Baucus said the $5.7 billion should be dedicated to highway and mass transit programs.
A source said committee members intend to try to add an amendment to the $31-billion supplemental spending bill being debated on the Senate floor that would lock in the $5.7 billion figure and the firewall safeguard.
The supplemental measure now restores a range from $4.4 billion to $5.7 billion in additional highway aid next year and doesn't have a firewall provision.
The House has approved bills that authorize restoring $4.4 billion for roads in 2003.
