The most daunting issue facing the committee is the funding level with the House bringing its bill in at the administration requested amount of $284 billion and the Senate at $295 billion. The Senate Finance Committee was able to increase the Senate bill by $11 billion through a series of revenue offsets. The conferees will study these offsets to determine whether they can be used to provide for additional funding above the $284 billion level of the House bill.

According to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), in a meeting with Republican congressional leaders, President Bush said that he understands this as an important bill that will create thousands of jobs, but also stressed the need for fiscal responsibility in achieving this goal. The White House, via a letter from Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta to Chairman Young and Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), reiterated the veto threat over any one of three provisions the conference is considering (see link to letter below). These issues are the overall funding level of the bill, creation of a federal borrowing authority to issue bonds, and reopener language that would allow Congress to revisit the legislation in order to add additional funding prior to the enactment of the next reauthorization bill in 2009.

Earlier this week, Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.) stated publicly for the first time that the Senate could override a presidential veto of this legislation. DeLay, although complimentary in his opening statement of the White House as a partner on this bill, appeared to endorse the bonding provisions of the Senate bill that have been opposed by the White House. Another surprise was Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) endorsing the lower House bill's funding level, after voting for the Senate bill.

Please contact your Senators and Representative today and ask them to push for final passage of a highway reauthorization bill as soon as possible. You can either use the sample letter provided in the Legislative Action Center or call NSSGA's Washington Action Hotline at (800) 450-8293 to be connected directly to the U.S. Capitol Switchboard and ask to speak with your Members of Congress.

Tell your Senators and Representative to urge the conference committee to complete work on the highway bill as soon as possible at the highest funding level possible!

Letter from Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.
Letter from NSSGA President & CEO Joy Wilson to all members of the conference committee outlining NSSGA's postion.