House Speaker Paul Ryan, right, walks with Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, following a news conference at the Republican National Headquarters. Ryan announced that the House will pass a short-term funding bill as talks on a $1.1 trillion spending bill continue.
Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Congress-Budget-Battle/72c82cf72d294e918b696474c08c65ba/1/0
Congress Acts “FAST”
The nation’s infrastructure, it’s highways and bridges and modes of transportation that connect us, seems to be one of the truly bi-partisan issue facing our lawmakers. Last week, President Obama signed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act into law. The legislation was 1,300 pages and will cost $305 billion. Shortly after signing, President Obama made a statement saying the bill was, “not perfect,” but, “common sense, and an important step in the right direction.”
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay, Florida; Credit: ©Eyecon Images / Alamy
The law will be enacted over the next ten years and provides the kind of long-term funding necessary for cities to plan large-scale highway projects. Here are some highlights:
Certain stretches of road will be designated as “freight corridors” and will receive money for special freight and highway projects.
In addition, seven states that have been designated “high density” (including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island) will receive aid because, collectively, they provide over half of all transportation trips in the country.
Safety scores based on inspections and roadside checks will be removed from being accessed by the public via a website. This is in response to industry officials who say that the government’s methodology behind the scores was unfair.
The minimum age of interstate truck drivers will also be lowered from 21 to 18, but only for veterans and active members of the military.
The National Highway Safety Administration will be able to triple the amount of the penalty it can fine automakers who violate regulations. Rental car companies will no longer be allowed to rent vehicles that that have been recalled but not repaired. The government five-star rating will also be revised.
Nearly $835 million will go toward building and maintaining infrastructure for pedestrians trails and bike paths across the country.
In an effort to increase rail safety, money will be allotted to install collision-prevention technology in commuter trains. Experts will study whether trains hauling crude oil and ethanol should be equipped with electronically controlled brakes to minimize accidents.
Large financial institutions are considered the “big losers” in this bill. The Federal Reserve will pay them lower dividends than before, with the savings going to fund transportation programs.
While the passage of this legislation is being considered a great victory, it is not without its challenges. For example, some of the items included in the FAST Act do not include solutions on how to fund them. The $305 billion budget falls short of the projected $400 billion needed to solve all of the nation’s infrastructure issues. President Obama said that he would push for great spending to meet these needs.
Dig Deeper
Do some research and find some of the other line-items in the FAST Act.
Here is a copy of the whole thing, but you there are many other resources that contain partial lists. Write down five items not listed in the story above. Explain why they caught your interest.
David Martin
