Highway Users Commend Congress for Final, Bipartisan Passage of the HIRE Act

WASHINGTON, March 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the American Highway Users Alliance commended Congress for the Senate's final passage of the "HIRE" Act - the first jobs bill of 2010.  In a rare moment of bipartisanship, the bill passed by a vote of 68-29 with support from liberal, conservative, and centrist Senators.  This legislation is critical for the American people because it restores unexpected cuts in federal aid to the States, restores fiscal solvency to the Highway Trust Fund, and stabilizes funding for highway safety and mobility projects through the end of the calendar year.  The bill does not contain direct appropriations.

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Highway Users President & CEO Greg Cohen stated, "The highway provisions in the HIRE Act provide a roadmap for bipartisanship to the U.S. Congress.  The vast majority of the public understands that a commitment to congestion relief and safety investments on our roads and bridges will help every part of America become stronger.  These investments will work to get us moving again, creating and improving access to jobs.

"Congressional leaders should continue to focus their attention on other widely-supported highway legislation, now that the HIRE Act has passed.  In addition to annual appropriations, two important highway-related bills should be considered this year:  

"First, Congress should consider a recent House proposal to provide $27.5 billion in emergency funding for road improvements - similar to the special appropriation which passed in the 2009 stimulus bill.  No other jobs-creating program enjoys more support from both sides of the aisle and across America and the benefits of road improvements exceed costs by a ratio of up to 6 to 1.

"Second, Congress must write a comprehensive six-year surface transportation bill with a major investment in new highway capacity, safety, freight routes, and the reconstruction of aging bridges and roads.  This bill should provide stable guaranteed funding for our highways from 2011-2016.  But Congress also needs to prepare the American people to pay for this bill 'as-we-go' with adequate highway user fees on gasoline and diesel.  The last highway bill expired in September, 2009.  Without a new six-year bill, a weak and unstable highway program will be funded only in drips and drabs - leaving thousands of projects stuck on drawing boards and motorists stuck in congestion."

The American Highway Users Alliance represents motorists, bus companies, truckers, RV enthusiasts, motorcyclists and a broad cross-section of businesses that depend on safe and efficient highways to transport their families, customers, employees, and products. Highway Users members advocate public policies that improve highway safety and mobility. 

SOURCE American Highway Users Alliance