Highway Subcommittee Chairman Graves praises Federal Highway Bill’s House passage

The House passed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act in a 359-65 vote last week in what Highway Subcommittee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) called an important final step before reauthorization can be signed into law.

“It’s been over a decade since Congress has passed long-term Highway reauthorization,” Graves said. “States have been forced to operate off of one short-term extension after another, and our roads have suffered. I am proud of the bipartisan way that this bill was developed, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law by the president.”

Graves, in his position as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, played a critical role in shaping the legislation. He also served on the Conference Committee that was tasked with solving the differences between the House and Senate Bills.

“In Missouri, a long-term Highway Bill translates into immediate improvements for our 35,000 highway miles and 10,000 roadway bridges,” Graves said. “It means crumbling bridges are rebuilt, potholes are filled, and road construction projects get done faster.

“But looking ahead, it also sets the stage for us to continue reshaping America’s transportation infrastructure. It will allow us to modernize roads and transit systems using innovations from the private sector, it will help us apply advances in technology to improve safety on America’s highways, and it will ensure we continue to build on cost-efficient practices so taxpayer dollars are going further than ever before.”

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, much like the original version passed by the House, requires that 15 percent of a state’s federal highway funding be used for the maintenance and restoration of rural bridges. The legislation also provides flexibility to state to focus on the safety needs that are unique to each community.

In addition to being fully paid for, the five year reauthorization addresses the Highway Trust Fund’s long-term solvency issues by setting the stage for the development of more sustainable long-term funding sources, including a user-funded model that doesn’t solely rely on the existing gas tax.