Senate maneuvers may spur veto of transportation aid

Utah transportation officials and the state's congressional delegation have done their part to put pressure on Congress to pass a new six-year transportation funding bill.

It was U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta's turn Wednesday.

In a teleconference with reporters across the nation, Mineta said current maneuvering in the Senate is increasing the chances President Bush will veto the proposed bill. That, Mineta said, would put many states in a crisis because they cannot plan future road and transit projects without a guaranteed source of funding.

"Construction season has already begun, and while (federal) road and transit money has continued to flow, there's no telling how many long-term projects have been affected by the delay," Mineta said. "As a former mayor, I know how hard it is for states and local planners to work on long-term projects when they can't budget the project out for years in advance."

Reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) is more than overdue. The act expired in September 2003 and has been temporarily extended six times while Congress has alternately debated proposals and delayed the reauthorization process.

As it stands, the House passed its version of the reauthorization in March, and the Senate recently debated its own version of the bill before taking its Mother's Day recess. Mineta said he hopes the Senate will continue discussion of the bill when it reconvenes May 9.

But Mineta fears proposed Senate amendments could doom the bill. He said some senators want to add pork-barrel projects like parking garages and even museums to the spending package. That would push the bill's price tag beyond the $284 billion approved by the House. According to Mineta, the president will veto anything above that amount. And Mineta said a more expensive transportation bill would force an increase in the federal per-gallon gasoline tax.

"This threat (in the Senate) will force consumers to pay more at the pump at the worst possible time," Mineta said. "This plan, if the amendments were to go through, would irresponsibly spend money that isn't there because the president's proposal (the House version) already uses every available cent for highway, safety and transit programs . . .

"The bottom line is, our bill is the right bill because it is a responsible bill. We are set to invest record levels in highway, safety and transit programs in every state in the country in a way that will not force drivers to pay more at the pump."

The House bill calls for more than $100 million in spending for specific Utah projects.