House Approves $284 Bln Highway Bill (PORKorama Alert!)

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 3/10/05 | John Crawley

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a $284 billion, six-year highway and transit construction bill on Thursday, advancing a measure that eluded final passage last year in a fight with the White House over budget deficits.

The legislation, which is 18 months overdue, matches the spending demands outlined in the Bush administration's 2006 budget and the cost of a similar version making its way through the Senate.

Many lawmakers in both houses would eventually like to see more money committed to road, tunnel and bridge improvements. The House bill includes a provision that would let Congress revise spending in the future.

But White House budget advisers told lawmakers this week they would recommend President Bush (news - web sites) veto any bill that exceeds his $284 billion limit. A similar threat last year helped scuttle highway legislation.

The landmark highway bill, which was approved 417-9, includes $225.5 billion for highway construction, $52.3 billion for transit and $6.2 billion for safety and other regulatory programs.

Rep. Don Young (news, bio, voting record), an Alaska Republican and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the cash flow is "not what we wanted" and promised to push for more money as early as next year.

"There have been lots of cooks in this kitchen and we've been able to come out with a good product. We'll go to the Senate and we'll have this bill done before the first of June," Young said.

Highway spending is funded by taxes on gasoline bought by all motorists. Efforts to modestly increase the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon have been fiercely resisted in Congress even as lawmakers agree that the nation's aging infrastructure needs urgent repairs.

A JOBS BILL

Lawmakers covet the economic stimulus provided by the transportation bill. It is estimated that for every $1 billion invested in highway and transit, 47,500 jobs are created or sustained.

"This will be the signature domestic legislation of this Congress in terms of the impact on the public," said Rep. Peter DeFazio (news, bio, voting record), an Oregon Democrat.

Despite passage, some lawmakers remain dissatisfied with the formula for allocating highway grants. States that turn over more in gas tax receipts than they get back in highway aid have clamored for more money.

The bill continues the guarantee that states will get minimum highway aid equal to 90.5 cents for every dollar they return to the government in gas tax receipts.

But to calm some unhappy lawmakers, the House bill boosted the funding formulas to states to include projects mandated by federal lawmakers. Most highway and transit projects are determined by state governments.

Required construction funding sought by members, called "earmarks," are a hallmark of federal spending bills. One estimate of "pork" by the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense found more than 4,000 "earmarks" in the House transportation bill worth more than $12 billion. Requests were made by both Republicans and Democrats.

Some pet projects include numerous parking lots, museum construction in Ohio and Illinois, a horse riding trail, restoration of a historic home in Virginia, and a welcome center at Mt. Ranier in Washington state.

The last highway bill expired in 2003 and temporary funding that year's levels has been extended through May. Provisions in the House bill are retroactive to 2004 and run through 2009.

[NormsRevenge]

Required construction funding sought by members, called "earmarks," are a hallmark of federal spending bills. One estimate of "pork" by the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense found more than 4,000 "earmarks" in the House transportation bill worth more than $12 billion. Requests were made by both Republicans and Democrats.

Some pet projects include numerous parking lots, museum construction in Ohio and Illinois, a horse riding trail, restoration of a historic home in Virginia, and a welcome center at Mt. Ranier in Washington state.

[RetiredArmy]

I thought I felt a hand in my pocket earlier today.

[BenLurkin]

They never learn.

IMO we need term limits in Congress - maybe then the porkmobile would at least slow down.

[NormsRevenge]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-highway11mar11,0,5697336.story?coll=la-home-headlines

House Approves Fat Transit Bill (EXCERPT)

House put thousands of projects for lawmakers' home districts in legislation, despite Bush's appeal that Congress apply the brakes on pet programs.


By Richard Simon, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — The House today approved a long-stalled $284-billion transportation spending bill loaded with thousands of projects for lawmakers' home districts, despite President Bush's appeal for Congress to apply the brakes to earmarking funds for pet programs.

The bill would provide funds for more than 4,000 projects, mostly aimed at repairing crumbling roads and easing traffic congestion. But it also provides money for a snowmobile trail, horse riding trails, sidewalk improvements, transportation museums and water taxis.

The measure, approved 417-9, is more than the $256 billion that the White House last year had set as its limit, setting up an unusual showdown between the president and fellow congressional Republicans that had delayed the bill's passage.

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

The Capitol can easily be mistaken for a barn these days. Where else can you hear the sound of "oink!" and "braaay!"

[RetiredArmy]

Roger that. Even the feds grabbing $284 billion will still mean that this state will continue to grab more money for highways, bridges and streets. Just like they grab more from us for education even though the feds smack us for billions in education funds. I simply do not understand where all that $284 billion is going if none of it is coming to this socialist hell hole (WA state).

[glaseatr]

As long as they can fix the F'n roads here in CA I'll be happy. It's a shame that were paying for stuff that won't fix the roads I bend rims on.

[shadeaud]

After watching C-Span this morning I think we need open hearings on everything. No more back room, closed door meetings. Each member get 15million in hush money that they use at their discretion so they can collect points with their constituents. Payola runs rampant

[libertyman]

Why are FReepers complaining about this when they strongly supported & helped to elect several of the GOP House members who added this pork to the spending bill?

Sheeeeeeeeeesh......

[libertyman]

I guess pork ain't pork when the extra spending is done in their district, right?

[ProudVet77]

Anyone remember when roads were a local issue with the exception of the interstate highway system? Bridges and Tunnels were handled by a local authority, like the NYPA.

[NormsRevenge]

I'm stuck in the liebrally infested Bay Area (where a GOP rep is as rare as hen's teeth) so we'll be lucky to see any monies for much of anything out here.

[libertyman]

EXACTLY...doesn't the Constitution give Congress the power to use federal (i.e. OUR) $ to be used for post roads, & nothing more???

[libertyman]

The "Gay Area", huh??

[NormsRevenge]

I live in a Don't Ask, Don't Smell Zone. ;-) lol

[nicollo]

You want a scam, try this:

The bill continues the guarantee that states will get minimum highway aid equal to 90.5 cents for every dollar they return to the government in gas tax receipts.

The Feds swallow a cool 10% commission just to tell the States how to spend their own money. Nice.

Nicollo unmasked: Bromleyisms here

[libertyman]

OMG!!!! LOL

[OneTimeLurker]

These "Republicans" have no shame. The Class of 94 are sellouts for the most part.

[sure_fine]

and look how many " guest workers " will be finding jobs

[tubebender]

Red states and counties should get a bigger cut of this Pig...