THE STATE OF PLAY IN CONGRESS

Margo PedrosoDeputy DirectorSafe Routes to School National Partnership

ATMOSPHERE IN CONGRESS

• Republicans have majority in both House and Senate

• In-fighting among Republicans

• Tea Party/Freedom Caucus vs. mainstream Rs• Compromise and legislate vs. shut down the government

• Speaker Boehner resigned

• Expected successor McCarthy pulled out of the race• Leadership elections in late October?

• Lots to do this fall: appropriations, debt ceiling, transportation bill

APPROPRIATIONS

• Appropriations = annual process to fund government

• Affects agencies like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parts of US Department of Transportation, etc.

• Boehner resigned as speaker to avoid government shutdown in September

• Only delayed appropriations battle until Dec. 11

• Contention over “sequester” that would mandatecuts to defense and domestic spending

• Republicans found a workaround to avoid defense cuts; Democrats want domestic spending fixed

• Conservatives want to keep spending cuts in place

• Members working on a deal to raise the budget ceiling, mitigating the sequester cuts

APPROPRIATIONS

• Complicated by Planned Parenthood videos

• House using “budget reconciliation” to propose eliminating Obamacare, prevention fund, Planned Parenthood funding

• House voting this month; Senate after that; President expected to veto

• Also have to raise the debt ceiling – country’s borrowing limit

• Likely to be contentious battle in December

TRANSPORTATION

• MAP-21 was last transportation bill, passed in 2012

• Only 2 years in length due to funding shortfall

• Consolidated programs, more state flexibility and less red tape

• Big fight over funding for biking and walking

• Bridges are falling down; can’t afford “niceties” of bike paths…

• We shouldn’t force states to spend money on this...

• Sidewalks and bike paths are a local issue...

• Result was Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

• Consolidated 3 bike/ped programs with 30% cut

• States can transfer 50% of TAP funding

• Regions (MPOs) and states share decision-making

• Requires competitive process

THE NEXT TRANSPORTATION BILL

• Current extension expires October 30

• Highway Trust Fund is broke (still):

Gas tax short $13-18B per yearCongress has to find money to extend billTax reform was supposed to be the answer, but deal has failedUnclear now where funding will come from

• Senate acted in July with DRIVE Act

• House seeking solution

WHAT’S IN THE SENATE’S DRIVE ACT FOR TAP?

• Changes to TAP in DRIVE:

• Nonprofits now eligible to apply for $$• Doubles local control and eliminates state transfers• Lowers regulatory burden for TAP projects• Increases funding from $819M to $850M/year—but freezes it• Sens. Cardin (D-MD) and Cochran (R-MS) were champions

• What did we not get?

• Small MPOs not eligible to apply for $$• More flexibility on the required 20% match to

make projects accessible to low-income• Unfreeze TAP spending level

• All in all – good result for TAP

WHAT’S THE STATUS IN THE HOUSE?

• TAP is again a point of contention, even though:

• At least a half-dozen Republicans on the Committee have asked Chairman Shuster to support TAP

• All Democrats, led by Rep. Larsen (D-WA), have said a bill that changes TAP is not bipartisan

• Small but vocal minority of Tea Party members want TAP eliminated completely

• Goal is that the House leave TAP alone, untouched – no funding or policy changes

HOW WE TALK ABOUT TAP WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS

• TAP is all about competition and local control

• Money for big cities, small towns and everything in between

• Some of the only federal transportation dollars that make it down to local governments

• Redirecting TAP cuts local projects to fund a few expensive projects in a few districts around country

• States aren’t transferring out – this isn’t a controversial issue at the state/local level

WHAT’S NEXT FOR TAP

• House Committee may mark up bill late October

• Will unresolved House leadership cause delay?

• Could face a vote in committee or on the floor to hurt or help TAP

• Once the House acts

• Then the House and Senate have to reconcile their differences

• Have to work with our supporters to make sure the final bill comes out positive on TAP

HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Let your Members of Congress know that you support the Transportation Alternatives Program

• Speak to your local needs and benefits

• Economic development and property values• Quality of life and transportation options• Safety for kids and families• Cost-effectiveness• Public health

• Come armed with local stories – where these investments are needed or where they have helped

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Margo Pedroso, Safe Routes to School National Partnership

margo@saferoutespartnership.org

www.saferoutespartnership.org