Washington, D.C. — Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress, released the following statement today, after the Senate approved the highway bill Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy, or DRIVE Act:
Investing in infrastructure is essential to our economic growth and global competitiveness. Unfortunately, the DRIVE Act represents the failure of Senate Republicans to address the structural shortfalls plaguing the Highway Trust Fund. By not raising additional dedicated revenue for the trust fund, Congress will have to find offsets in 2018 totaling $51 billion to cover the cost of the remaining three years of this bill. For decades, we have funded investments in transportation by charging highway users for the benefits they receive. This bill breaks with that tradition, placing a target on the backs of unrelated federal programs that now run the risk of being cut to pay for highways. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is no way to govern.
Kevin DeGood, CAP Director of Infrastructure Policy, is also available today to comment on the Senate’s passage of the DRIVE Act.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact [email protected] or 202.478.6331.