October 22, 2004

People ask me what Congress achieved during the past two years. There are several things I could talk about, but one of my major concerns is something that's still unfinished despite considerable hard work: the new transportation bill.

America's economy depends on efficient transportation to move both people and products. In 2000, the cost of traffic congestion nationwide totaled $78 billion resulting from 4.5 billion hours of extra travel time and 6.8 billion gallons of fuel wasted while sitting in traffic. The average rush hour trip takes 32 percent more time than the same trip taken during non- rush hour conditions.

Federal funds for highways are raised through a user tax included in the price of gasoline. Donor states (states which send more gas tax money to Washington than they receive back) complain bitterly that they aren't getting their fair share.

Fairness, in fact, is one of the main reasons why I sought appointment to the Transportation Committee, where I am now the Chairman of the Highways, Transit and Pipelines Subcommittee.

From the beginning of the federal highway program in the 1950s until the early 1980s, Wisconsin received only about 70 cents back of every dollar in gas taxes our drivers sent to the federal Highway Trust Fund. During my time on the committee, I've helped to raise our share of funds to approximately one dollar back from the trust fund for every dollar our drivers deposit.

I have been tenacious in the fight to get our fair share. In fact, I remember one transportation meeting where my advocacy on behalf of Wisconsin's drivers and taxpayers caused then-New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan to start whistling "On, Wisconsin!"

Does this matter for our state? My efforts have meant hundreds of millions of additional dollars for Wisconsin, thousands of well-paying highway jobs, and the growth of transportation-dependent manufacturing and other jobs in our cities and towns.

Recent transportation bills have authorized funding for six- year periods. The last bill expired over a year ago, but because we weren't ready with a replacement, we have had to extend it until the end of May, 2005.

What's the problem? The Senate passed a $318 billion transportation bill in February, and the House approved a $284 billion bill in April which I had helped to craft in my subcommittee. The Administration would prefer us to spend only $256 billion. The resulting negotiations to come up with a consensus bill have been difficult, to say the least.

Further, the Senate bill would return to our state only 95% of our federal gas tax dollars while the House bill would return 101%.

Negotiations are continuing with talk of a House-Senate compromise figure of $299 billion. We may strike a deal in November, and certainly before the end of spring. In any case, it's important for Wisconsin that we have a senior negotiator "in the room," and I'm happy to play that role.