Every six years, Congress takes up the task of deciding what projects will be included in the transportation reauthorization bill, determining the next six years of funding for our nation’s roads, highways, and transit systems. The transportation reauthorization bill was due for reauthorization in June of 2004.  Unfortunately, Congress and the Administration have been unable to reach an agreement on the amount of funding to be invested in our nation’s infrastructure and the bill continues to be at a stalemate.  President Bush has proposed $275 billion to fund the transportation reauthorization program – $100 billion less than proposed by Don Young of Alaska, Chairman of the House Transportation Committee.

I strongly support investing in our nation’s infrastructure.  Funding these projects eases congestion on America’s highways, opens trade routes, and creates jobs and economic opportunity.   As when I first entered Congress, Arkansas’s road needs continue to be one of my top priorities.  I am pushing for full funding of I-69 and the Great River Bridge, the I-49 corridor, Highway 167, and the many other local and regional highway needs within the Fourth Congressional District.
Achieving full-funding for these projects will not be easy, nor will it be cheap.  We have over $4 billion in interstate construction needs in our congressional district alone, and the bill only has $6 billion for new interstate construction for all of America.
There is no question that securing funding for our district’s highway needs in the upcoming transportation bill is a vital component to our economic future.  I am cautiously optimistic that we will have a transportation reauthorization bill by the end of June.  Both the House and Senate have passed their version of the transportation reauthorization bill, and it is my hope that the conference committee will reach an agreement and send a final bill to President Bush for his signature.  Rest assured I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to fight for the funding of our district’s needs, each and every step of the way.