Issue 2-09

Highway Trust Fund Needs Immediate Attention

On June 16, 2009, USDOT representatives briefed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee membership on the status of the highway trust fund. The trust fund is again running on fumes and needs Congress to authorize a cash infusion before it adjourns for the August recess. The trust fund needs an infusion of $5-8 billion to get through fiscal 2009. Absent the additional cash, the highway program will face a 30-35% cut. The Highway Trust Fund is forecast to need another $14-18 billion to get through fiscal 2010. Congress and the administration are trying to wrestle with the funding shortfall in the midst of discussion over the multiyear reauthorization proposal that needs to be passed by September 30, 2009.

Source: AGC