CRS Issue Statement on Surface Transportation

William J. Mallett, Coordinator
Specialist in Transportation Policy

Highway and transit program finance, transportation demand, system congestion, the physical condition of the nation's surface transportation infrastructure, highway safety, and transportation's effects on the environment are likely to be key issues under congressional consideration in the 111th Congress. Since the expiration of the current long-term authorization of surface transportation programs at the end of FY2009, Congress has enacted several short-term extensions of highway and transit programs. Due to the complicating effects of an end-of-FY2009 rescission, however, contract authority for highway programs is now being provided at a level about one-third lower than in FY2009. This lower level of highway funding authorization is mitigated to some extent by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5), which appropriated nearly $50 billion for transportation projects. With consideration of the long term surface transportation reauthorization bill, programs and funding are likely to remain prominent. Issues under active consideration include the possibility of more funding for transportation infrastructure from a second economic recovery bill, attempts to repeal the rescission of highway contract authority, and problems with the Highway Trust Fund.


Date of Report: January 6, 2010
Number of Pages: 3
Order Number: IS40391
Price: $7.95

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