In response to higher transportation-funding commitments indicated in the 2006 federal budget proposal the White House released Feb. 7, senior House and Senate members have taken decisive measures to set the stage for TEA-21 reauthorization this spring.

On February 9, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young (R-AK) and three colleagues introduced a revised version of their surface transportation bill from last Congress, providing $284 billion in guaranteed funding for FYs 2004-2009 funding for highway, transit and safety programs. Given that FY 2004 is complete, the “Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (TEA-LU) provides an obligation level of $241.7 billion for the remaining five years. Road and bridge funding would climb about $1 billion annually from a proposed $36.7 billion in 2006.

Following the TEA-LU roll out, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK) announced Feb. 16 intention of moving ahead with a reauthorization plan in line with the House and Bush administration. Citing a report in CQToday, AASHTO told members that Sen. Inhofe was sticking with the $284 billion target -- about $17 billion to $34 billion below what he and colleagues have advocated this past year -- because of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s unwillingness to bring a bill with higher funding levels to the floor.