National Journal
By Fawn Johnson
Updated: January 24, 2012 | 9:12 p.m.
It’s not high-speed rail. It’s not a stimulus program to fill potholes. It’s not an infrastructure bank. President Obama is shedding several of his failed White House efforts on infrastructure and instead daring Congress to pass a six-year surface transportation bill.
Make no mistake, it is a dare. Lawmakers have been stymied all year over one question on the law that would update the funding system for the nation’s roads, bridges, railways, and runways: How do we pay for it? Thus far, there have been no easy answers. The Senate transportation chiefs punted and offered up a two-year bill that costs $109 billion, and they are still at least $12 billion short. The House is expected to vote on as-yet-unveiled legislation that will extend for six years, cost about $260 billion, and be paid for with new domestic oil drilling.
The House measure will amount to nothing more than a political stunt, carefully timed to nick at Americans’ anger as gas prices take their annual climb into the spring and summer driving season... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Tue, January 24, 2012
by John Cox