FINAL BILL REPORT

HJM 4000

BYRepresentatives Walk, Schmidt, Baugher, D. Sommers, Sutherland, Meyers, J. Williams, Heavey, S. Wilson, Grimm, Fisher, Betrozoff, Haugen, May, Dellwo, Ferguson, Gallagher, O'Brien, K. Wilson, Kremen, Spanel, Cooper, Grant, Cantwell, Holm, Rayburn, Fisch, Miller and Hankins

Requesting Congress to enact a continuing Surface Transportation Assistance Act.

House Committe on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

AS PASSED LEGISLATURE

BACKGROUND:

Funding for federal-aid highway programs expired on October 1, 1986, having been last authorized by Congress under the four-year Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982.  Although these programs are funded from the Federal Motor Fuel Tax and other highway user fees dedicated to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, these dedicated funds could not be distributed to the states until the programs were reauthorized by Congress.

Separate authorization bills were approved by each house of Congress last fall.  A conference committee, convened to resolve the differences between the two bills, became deadlocked over several controversial issues and failed to reach agreement.

The failure of Congress to reach agreement on an authorization bill delayed the distribution of approximately $13 billion of federal highway funds for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1987.  Washington state was to receive over $250 million of federal highway funds for FFY 1987.

The concern was that if the state did not receive its federal highway funds by this spring, it could have lost the 1987 construction season for highway projects funded with federal funds.  This would have delayed for one year the start of planned highway rehabilitation, capacity expansion and safety projects.  The most notable delay would have been in the completion of the I-90 project in the Seattle area.

Other impacts of further congressional delay would have included:  the delay for one year of $11 million of county and city road work; the loss of 4,400 jobs and $250 million in economic activity in the state; the loss of funds to provide vehicles for the transportation of elderly and handicapped persons; and the delay of construction and/or increased costs of the Seattle bus tunnel.

SUMMARY:

The memorial urged Congress to take immediate action to secure passage of a multi-year Surface Transportation Assistance Act.

NOTE:  A new Surface Transportation Assistance Act was passed by Congress on April 2, 1987, and Washington state has received its federal highway funds.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 95   0

      Senate    47     0