In an election year, Republicans and Democrats can agree on at least one thingthat highway spending is essential to win re-election. They also know that in order to maintain our national economic health, we must fix our aging and distressed transportation system. Yet after prolonged squabbling between Congress and the White House, the Senate only recently passed a $318-billion transportation bill with a seemingly veto-proof margin of 76-21. The Presidents proposal, in comparison, is a modest $256 billion. Some in the House last year proposed a Cadillac version worth $375 billion, but lawmakers there now are considering a $275-billion bill. So despite months of debate, we still have no agreement.
The squabbles in Washington clearly highlight the dysfunctionality of our current highway funding process. And that has an adverse impact on everyone. In a jobless economic recovery, increased transportation funding results in instant job creation. These jobs are immune to outsourcing abroad and have a positive effect on governmental tax receipts and the economic well-being of all Americans.