Conference of Mayors Officers Urge Senate Finance Committee to Act on Transportation Legislation
Kevin McCarty
October 17, 2011
Following Congressional action last month on another extension of the nation’s surface transportation law known as SAFETEA-LU, pressure is mounting on Senators and Representatives to act on renewal of the legislation prior to a March 31 deadline.
The Conference of Mayors and the nation’s mayors continue to call for strong federal commitments to transportation infrastructure, urging timely action on legislation to renew SAFETEA-LU as well as calling for additional transportation investment as part of The American Jobs Act.
Most recently, the officers of the Conference of Mayors are urging the Senate Finance Committee, led by its Chairman Max Baucus (MT) and Ranking Minority Member Orrin G. Hatch (UT), to act on their elements of the renewal package to clear the way for subsequent approval by the authorizing committees.
In an October 14 letter to Baucus and Hatch, Conference of Mayors President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Conference of Mayors Vice President Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter and Second Vice President Mesa Mayor Scott Smith wrote, “There is strong consensus for action on surface transportation legislation in the Congress and throughout the nation. We urge you to hold a mark-up as quickly as possible to provide critical resources for our transportation infrastructure and to help get our economy back on track.”
Noting specifically the bipartisan consensus that has been built within the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the panel responsible for key highway, bridge and safety elements, they wrote, “As you know, authorizing committee leaders, Senator Barbara Boxer (CA) and Senator Jim Inhofe (OK), have made significant progress and have reached bi-partisan agreement on key elements of the legislation, which could create up to 2 million jobs.”
Mayors Calling for Action by Panel Members
Building on this letter, the Conference of Mayors is calling on mayors to register their support for action by the Senate Finance Committee to help move transportation renewal legislation forward.
In addition to Baucus and Hatch, other Senators serving on the Senate Finance Committee are: Jeff Bingaman (NM), Richard Burr (NC), Maria Cantwell (WA), Benjamin L. Cardin (MD), Thomas R. Carper (DE), Tom Coburn (OK), Kent Conrad (ND), John Cornyn (TX), Mike Crapo (ID), Michael B. Enzi (WY), Chuck Grassley (IA), John F. Kerry (MA), Jon Kyl (AZ), Robert Menendez (NJ), Bill Nelson (FL), Pat Roberts (KS), John D. Rockefeller IV (WVA), Charles E. Schumer (NY), Olympia J. Snowe (ME), John Thune (SD), Debbie Stabenow (MI), and Ron Wyden (OR).
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