Highway Subcommittee Chairman Graves Helps Pass Federal Highway Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Sam Graves issued the following statement after the House today passed the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, a 5-year reauthorization of federal highway programs. The legislation is the product of a compromise between previous House and Senate bills, and today's 359-65 vote represents an important final step before reauthorization can be signed into law.

"It's been over a decade since Congress has passed long-term Highway reauthorization," Rep. Graves said. "States have been forced to operate off of one short-term extension after another, and our roads have suffered. I am proud of the bipartisan way that this bill was developed, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law by the President."

As the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Graves played a critical role in shaping the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. Graves also served on the Conference Committee responsible for ironing out differences between House and Senate bills.

"In Missouri, a long-term Highway Bill translates into immediate improvements for our 35,000 highway miles and 10,000 roadway bridges," Rep. Graves continued. "It means crumbling bridges are rebuilt, potholes are filled, and road construction projects get done faster.

"But looking ahead, it also sets the stage for us to continue reshaping America's transportation infrastructure. It will allow us to modernize roads and transit systems using innovations from the private sector, it will help us apply advances in technology to improve safety on America's highways, and it will ensure we continue to build on cost-efficient practices so taxpayer dollars are going further than ever before.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The House and Senate passed separate versions of Highway reauthorization earlier this year. The conference legislation passed by the House today was a bipartisan compromise developed by both the House and Senate.

Like the original House-passed bill, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act maintains that 15% of a state's federal highway funding must be used on the maintenance and restoration of rural bridges. It also gives states the flexibility to focus on the safety needs unique to each community, allowing them to take advantage of new technologies that will reduce accidents and roadway fatalities.

The 5-year reauthorization is fully paid for. And in order to address the long-term solvency issues facing the Highway Trust Fund, the bill sets the stage for the development of more sustainable long-term funding sources, including a user-funded model that does not rely solely on the existing gas tax.

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