TRANSPORTATION

The Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA LU)

This legislation, which would provide $284 billion in federal highway, transit and road safety projects through 2009, was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives by a bipartisan basis on March 10, 2005.

The legislation (H.R. 3) - The Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users - was introduced by the bipartisan leadership of the Transportation Committee and Rep. Gerlach worked hard to ensure the bill included $45 million for important projects throughout Berks, Chester, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties.

• TEA LU reauthorizes the federal highway, public transportation, highway safety, and motor carrier safety programs for six years, from fiscal years 2004 through
2009. The policy features of the bill from the last Congress are retained.

• TEA LU provides a total of $283.9 billion in guaranteed funding – a 42 percent increase over the guaranteed funding for TEA 21 (1998-2003).

• TEA LU’s funding level has been formally endorsed by the Administration. President Bush’s updated reauthorization proposal, which was submitted with the fiscal year 2006 Budget, supports a 6-year reauthorization at $283.9 billion.

• TEA LU’s funding level of $283.9 billion reflects the same funding level that Congressional negotiations had centered on in the closing days of the 108th Congress.

• TEA LU’s guaranteed funding is $4.5 billion higher than the guaranteed funding level of $279.4 billion passed by the House of Representatives in April 2004. The recently enacted American Jobs Creation Act restores ethanol-related losses to the
Highway Trust Fund resulting from the 5.2 cents per gallon subsidy and revokes the diversion of 2.5 cents per gallon from the Highway Trust Fund to the General Fund.

• TEA LU will continue and protect existing U.S. jobs in the transportation sector and related industries. Millions of new jobs will be created and sustained by the infrastructure funding increases in TEA LU.