CAGTC Members,
Today, the full Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing titled “America’s Infrastructure Needs: Keeping Pace with a Growing Economy.” Written testimony, as well as a recording of the hearing, can be found online here.
Witnesses on the panel included:
- William Friedman, Chairman, American Association of Port Authorities, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority
- Ian Jefferies, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Railroads
- Matthew Polka, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Cable Association
- Chris Spear, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Trucking Association
- Larry Willis, President, Transportation Trades Department
Please find a summary of relevant conversation from the hearing here, with a few key takeaways below:
- There was a bipartisan call for increasing funding for infrastructure investment. Suggested sources of funding included increasing the gas tax, developing a vehicle miles traveled tax, and a freight waybill fee.
- Witnesses representing AAPA and ATA had differing recommendations regarding the funding caps for non-highway projects under the INFRA grant program and the freight formula program. The AAPA Chairman called for these caps to be lifted completely and for all freight grants to be 100 percent multimodal eligible. ATA’s President disagreed, stating that Highway Trust Fund resources should be spent on highways and bridges.
- Senators emphasized the need to improve and maintain existing infrastructure rather than only focusing on building new infrastructure, citing the costs of congestion and deficient infrastructure to the U.S. economy and global competitiveness.
Thank you,
Katie Cross
Manager, Member Communications & Policy
Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors
1625 K Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
tradecorridors.org
(202) 828-9100