Topics: Highway Trust Fund

President Offers No Details on Infrastructure in State of the Union

President Donald Trump renewed his call for a major infrastructure investment during his State of the Union address on Jan. 5, but offered no details on his plans as he urged Republicans and Democrats to work together to pass legislation to rebuild and revitalize the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. More

Rep. Graves Elected Ranking Member on House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

The House Republican conference on Nov. 30 unanimously voted to elect Rep. Sam Graves to be ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 116th Congress. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) will serve as Chairman. More

Senate EPW Committee Looks at Highways, Talks Fuel Tax and Public-Private Partnerships

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee convened a hearing on November 28 to discuss surface transportation issues. Entitled, “Addressing America’s Surface Transportation Infrastructure Needs,” the hearing largely focused on funding the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), with witnesses telling lawmakers that increasing the federal fuel tax would be the most efficient way to shore up the HTF in the short-term. More

As Lawmakers Eye Infrastructure, Funding Remains a Key Challenge

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Nov. 14 that he hopes the next Congress can pass an infrastructure package, but that the same challenges in securing funding will dog any proposals, Politico reported. More

Congressman DeFazio Plans to Deliver Major Infrastructure Package

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who is set to become Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 116th Congress, said Nov. 6 that a major infrastructure package funded by real dollars would be his first order of business in January. Current surface transportation law is set to expire in 2020 and infrastructure is largely viewed as one issue where bipartisan agreement will be possible next year. Of importance to truckstops and travel plazas, Rep. DeFazio spoke about the shortcomings of the $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan put forth by the Administration in early 2018, saying it was full of “pretend stuff” such as privatization and asset recycling, which could very easily lead to tolling and rest area commercialization. More

NATSO Analysis: Chairman Shuster Infrastructure Proposal

This week retiring House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) released draft legislation outlining his vision for enhanced infrastructure investment. The draft legislation is designed to facilitate a process whereby the United States can recalibrate how it pays for infrastructure as it moves into the middle part of the 21st Century, while at the same time providing a mechanism to adequately fund such investment in the near-term as the process plays out. Although many stakeholders -- including NATSO -- object to certain provisions in the draft legislation, it nonetheless represents a important continuation of -- and positive shift in -- the discussion President Trump started when he released his own infrastructure proposal earlier this year. More

Congressman Shuster Unveils Infrastructure Vision

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) on July 23 unveiled his framework for the future of infrastructure policy, which included encouraging states to lease their infrastructure assets to the private sector as well as temporarily boosting the motor fuels tax until it can be replaced with per-mile fees. More

Top GOP Senator Won't Rule Out Fuel Tax Increase

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said that he won't rule out raising the motor fuels tax as a means of increasing infrastructure revenues. Senator Thune's comments came just days after White House officials told a group of moderate House lawmakers that they are considering a gas tax hike to help offset President Trump’s infrastructure proposal. More

Trump Administration Announces Support for Tolling, Rest Area Commercialization

The Trump Administration released its 2018 budget proposal on May 23, and it includes recommendations to change federal law in a manner that would effectively crush the truckstop and travel plaza industry. More

President Says He Will Consider Motor Fuels Tax Increase

President Trump said May 1 that he would consider raising the gas tax as a means of boosting infrastructure revenues, however the President stopped short of announcing a full-scale endorsement for a motor fuels tax increase. More

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