Randy Krehbiel

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe said Monday he has obtained information that indicates the Army Corps of Engineers was largely or entirely excluded from developing controversial revisions to the Waters of the U.S. rule, commonly known as WOTUS.

WOTUS is a big deal in some circles because of suspicions it will expand the scope of federal water regulation. The revisions were proposed by the Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency, but Inhofe said he now believes the EPA is almost wholly responsible.

In a letter to Jo-Ellen Darcy, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Inhofe says he "was surprised to learn that, even though the rule was purportedly a joint effort of EPA and the Corps, it appears that the Corps did not receive the draft final rule until EPA submitted it to interagency review on April 3, 2015, and according to (an) April 27, 2015 memorandum to you, ’the process followed to develop it greatly limited Corps input.'” 

Inhofe has asked Darcy to confirm his interpretation of the memorandum and other documents provided the Environment and Public Works Committee, which Inhofe chairs.

Splitting the Corps from the EPA on the waters rule would not only help Inhofe in his campaign against the EPA and WOTUS, but would insulate the Corps from some of the fallout. 

Inhofe has a more charitable view of the Corps, which has a district office in Tulsa and administers the McClellen-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System as well as most of the state's major lakes and flood control projects.

To read the full text of today’s letter, click here

To read the July 6, 2015 letter, click here

Reena Flores

Ahead of a rare Sunday Senate session planned to consider an expiring highway and transit bill, the Republican party is pushing for a long-term overhaul in transportation funding.

"There is no such thing as a Republican road or a Democrat road," Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, said in a video Saturday. "This issue always transcends the political fights in Washington because funding our nation's transportation system is our constitutional responsibility."

Transportation funding has long plagued Congress, and the legislative body has for years passed short-term extensions to patch the budget gaps.

"This has resulted in highway dollars being spent only on maintenance and basic tasks like filling potholes," the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee said. "We have slowed building projects and stopped modernizing. Today, 54 percent of America's major roads are rated poor or mediocre."

The six-year Drive act, co-sponsored by California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, would replace the current highway authorization bill, due to expire July 31. If time runs out, the Department of Transportation would fail to process promised highway and transit aid payments to states.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, voiced his support of the bill Thursday, saying it would fund roads, highways, and bridges "for longer than any transportation bill considered by Congress in a decade."

• Senators reach agreement on 6-year highway funding bill

"And the highway proposal will do so without increasing taxes or adding to the deficit, and that's no small achievement," McConnell said.

A few controversies still remain over the bill, including the possibility of adding language that would reauthorize the Export-Import Bank or defund Planned Parenthood.

Inhofe, however, remains optimistic.

"We have a new congress and a new Republican majority and it's time for this trend to end. The Drive Act is a solution," Inhofe said. "It's the solution, a bipartisan solution. It provides the need long-term funding certainty so that the major reconstruction projects can get off the ground."

In his own video, President Obama touted the success of his administration's Wall Street reforms as Dodd-Frank's five-year anniversary approaches.

"Wall Street Reform turned the page on the era of 'too big to fail,'" Mr. Obama said Saturday. "Now, in America, we welcome the pursuit of profit. But if your business fails, we shouldn't have to bail you out. And under the new rules, we won't - the days of taxpayer-funded bailouts are over."

The legislation has allowed the White House "to crack down on some of the worst types of recklessness that brought our economy to its knees," the president said, and added that it has also given rise to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an independent oversight group dedicated to safeguarding Americans from predatory financial practices.

Some Republicans have called for the repeal of Dodd-Frank, and financial industry-backed legislation meant to temper the massive 2010 reform package have taken the stage in recent months.

"None of this has been easy. We've had to overcome fierce lobbying campaigns from the special interests and their allies in Congress," the president said. "And if any bill comes to my desk that tries to unravel the new rules on Wall Street, I will veto it."

Chelsea Washington

The transportation group Trip released a report on Thursday placing Oklahoma City as the 16th worst in the nation for road conditions and the 5th worst when it comes to the cost drivers incur when traveling on our roads.

Today Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe took a broader and bipartisan approach to the issue to usher in support for the Drive Act, which he says would help the transportation system throughout the country.

"There is no such thing as Republican road or Democratic road, this issue always transcends the political fights in Washington," Senator Inhofe said.

Senator Inhofe pointed to the work of President Dwight D. Eisenhower who signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956.

The bill created more than 40,000 miles of highways but only had a 50 year life span.

"Maintaining Eisenhower's vision of economic opportunity, strength and defense requires a continued partnership between the federal government and the states," Senator Inhofe said.

Political pundits say House leaders of both parties don't have high hopes for the bill which would authorize funding for six years.

But Senator Inhofe maintains a long term solution is what is needed and that this is the first step in the right direction.

"Since 2099 congress has passed 33 short term patches this has resulted in highway dollars being spent only on maintenance and basic task like filling pot holes," Senator Inhofe said.

It can’t wait.

Since 2009, Congress has passed 33 short-term extensions to “fund” the maintenance and modernization of our nation’s roads and bridges. This pattern is Washington's pothole stimulus where lack of long-term funding certainty has left states to only accomplish short-term patch work. This trend is wasting taxpayer dollars, and as a result our economy is sputtering; bridges are crumbling; modernization is stalling; and the cost of household goods are rising. Americans deserve better and, according to a recent AP poll, the majority of us want better.   

On July 31, construction on our nation’s infrastructure will come to a grinding halt if Congress does not take action. The DRIVE Act is the solution. This six-year highway reauthorization bill gives state and local governments the certainty and stability they need to improve and develop our nation’s transportation infrastructure. These investments will create new jobs, provide a sustained boost to our nation’s economy, and keep America competitive in the global marketplace. First reported unanimously out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the DRIVE Act now faces the Senate this week. 

What’s the cost of waiting?

• There's currently a backlog of more than $115 billion in bridge work and $755 billion in highway projects throughout the country, according to Department of Transportation data.      
• Today, 54 percent of America’s major roads are rated poor or mediocre. 1 in 4 bridges require significant repair or are unable to keep up with current traffic levels.
• 20,000 miles of our highways slow below posted speed limits due to severe traffic congestion.
• In 2011, 5.5 billion hours and 2.9 billion gallons of gas were wasted waiting in traffic congestion.  It is estimated that 8.4 billion hours and 4.5 billion gallons of gas will be wasted in 2020 if we keep the status quo. (source: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials)
• The wasted gas and time will cost the average commuter more than $800 and an entire work-week each year.  (source: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials)
• One in four urban roads are damaged, costing motorists up to $1,000 per year, according to a report from TRIP.

What are the states saying?

Every state is home to structurally deficient bridges, roads in poor conditions and traffic backlogs, don’t believe us? Read on for a few examples –

“The uncertainty of federal funding has made some states skittish about their ability to complete infrastructure projects. So far in 2015, four states -- Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Wyoming -- have shelved $779.7 million in projects due to the uncertainty over federal funds. Nine states -- Colorado, Connecticut, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia -- have expressed concern over the feasibility of future transportation infrastructure projects totaling more than $1.8 billion…” – USA Today

“Rebuilding the 200-mile span of Interstate 70 between suburban St. Louis and Kansas City is estimated to cost roughly $3 billion. The road was built more than 50 years ago with a life expectancy of 20 years.” – Kansas City Star

“Every day, more than 3.7 million Coloradans cross over structurally deficient bridges, according to an American Road & Transportation Builders Association analysis of the 2014 National Bridge Inventory. But the top ten most traveled structurally deficient bridges are in the Denver metro, in familiar parts of town.” – Colorado Public Radio

“Every other year bridges have to be inspected, but there's some concern the problems on the 6-decade-old Broadway Bridge could force MoDOT to divert some of the 60,000 drivers who use it every day by restricting the load allowed on the bridge.” – KSHB Kansas City

“For the past three years, though, delays have slowed Passaic County’s efforts to replace the antiquated truss bridge now pockmarked with rust and graffiti and labeled ‘structurally deficient’ by engineers.” – North Jersey Record 

Others agree, it’s time to DRIVE forward: 

“It's refreshing to see Congress focus on a multi-year solution instead of just another short-term patch.” – Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

“Manufacturers are witness to the erosion of the nation’s infrastructure base and our country has been stuck in a decade-long period of decline in overall infrastructure capital spending, according to the NAM study Catching Up. Fortunately, Senate leaders working to advance the DRIVE Act recognize that standing by is not the way to catch up.” – Robyn Boerstling, National Association of Manufacturer’s Shopfloor Blog

“The DRIVE Act achieves many of the goals that we as civil engineers believe must be addressed in the next surface transportation reauthorization and accomplishes these goals in a bipartisan fashion." – Bob Stevens, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers

“The immediate task is to get this long-term highway bill through Congress and to the president’s desk,” – The Oklahoman Editorial Board

“The country is in dire need of this sort of needs-driven plan for long-term transportation improvement. [DRIVE Act]  is not pork-barrel politics. It is sound reasoning and putting the taxpayers’ money where it is intended.” – Tulsa World Editorial Board

For a full list of growing support for the DRIVE Act, click here.

Visit the EPW Committee’s Transportation and Infrastructure One-Stop-Shop for more information.

###