Highway, Transit Spending Bill

Mineta Says Nation Needs Action on Highway, Transit Spending Bill; Proclaims Overnight Developments in Congress Encouraging

News this morning from Washington that Congress may be making progress on a new six-year highway and transit spending bill is encouraging, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said today during a visit to a factory that builds rail locomotives in Boise, ID.

“It’s time to send a fiscally responsible bill to the President and get the country’s highway, transit and safety projects on track and moving,” Mineta said. The seventh extension of the last spending bill expires June 30th at midnight.

Mineta spoke to reporters following a visit to Boise’s MotivePower plant, where workers build and refurbish locomotives used to pull freight and commuter trains.

He said the massive six-year surface transportation bill provides record amounts of funding for highway, transit and safety programs, and pushed Congress to end the uncertainty caused by almost two years of delay in approving a new plan.

“There is no telling how many long-term projects have been affected … or how many potential orders for locomotives produced here in Boise have been missed,” he said.

Mineta said at least two transit agencies have had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to support interest payments on loans to cover construction costs while waiting for passage of a bill.

“I am hopeful that today’s news means we are close,” Mineta said. “That would be encouraging because the President is tired of waiting. I am tired of waiting. And the American people are tired of waiting,” Mineta said. ###

Source; DOT 90-05 Friday, June 24, 2005, Contact: Robert Johnson, Tel.: (202) 366-4570