The Surface and Air Transportation Program Extension Act of 2011 became a United States law when President Barack Obama signed the Act on September 16, 2011 (Public Law No. 112-30). The law extends taxes which fund federal highway expenditures through March and the Federal Aviation Administration through January. The Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 is a direct result of an agreement which was reached by the House and Senate majority leaders. This extension act was a top priority to Congress because federal highway and FAA funding was about to expire. [1]
The bill passed through the United States House of Representatives on September 13, 2011, and through the United States Senate on September 15, 2011. President Obama signed the bill on September 16, 2011. [1]
Committees are formed to critique the proposed bill and to aid in lobbying to the United States Congress for consideration. The Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 was on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Ways and Means Committee. [1]
On September 15, 2011, two amendments were introduced to the legislation. Senator Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, introduced both amendments. The first amendment set limits on the Highway Trust Fund, and the second amendment decreased disbursements of the Federal Aviation Administration. [1]
Funds for federal aid to highways will be allocated from the Highway Trust Fund, but none to be taken from the Mass Transit Account, for projects between the time-frame of October 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012. [3]
Extended funds have been allocated towards:
The Surface and Air Transportation Act provided funding for:
Although the American Trucking Association (ATA) is relieved that the act was extended ensuring further job proposals, the organization feels it is only a quick fix that will essentially boost employment temporarily. The organization is pushing for passing multi-year legislation, instead of, multi-month legislation. The organization feels that this is a long overdue problem that is being fixed on a short, temporary basis. [5]
The ATA's president, Bill Graves, is not convinced, and even though $27.5 billion in the jobs proposal initiated by Obama is going to help boost the nation's economy, by way of, funding needed repairs and expanding roads and bridges. It is only scratching the surface to the real problem at hand. Graves is skeptical of Obama's plans, in regards to, establishing an infrastructure bank and increasing other taxes to pay for roads, bridges, and other programs in the jobs bill. [5]
The American Society of Civil Engineers spoke loudly to Congress regarding passing the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011, and to increase funding to aid in the country's broken infrastructure system. The programs were extended through to January 31, 2012. According to the "Failure to Act" division, if the United States does not invest in surface transportation programs soon, she will lose $900 billion. [6]
The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 and 1965. The term was first referenced during a 1964 speech by Johnson at Ohio University, then later formally presented at the University of Michigan, and came to represent his domestic agenda. The main goal was the total elimination of poverty and racial injustice.
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The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 was a comprehensive transportation funding and policy act of the United States Federal Government, 96 Stat. 2097. The legislation was championed by the Reagan administration to address concerns about the surface transportation infrastructure. The Act contained Title V, known as the Highway Revenue Act of 1982, which added five cents to the per gallon gas tax, of which four cents was dedicated to restore interstate highways and bridges, and one cent for public transit. The Act also set a goal of 10 percent for participation of disadvantaged business enterprises in federal-aid projects.
The Highway Trust Fund is a transportation fund in the United States which receives money from a federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel fuel and related excise taxes. It currently has two accounts, the Highway Account funding road construction and other surface transportation projects, and a smaller Mass Transit Account supporting mass transit. Separate from the Highway Trust Fund is the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, which receives an additional 0.1 cents per gallon on gasoline and diesel, making the total amount of tax collected 18.5 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.5 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. The Highway Trust Fund was established in 1956 to finance the United States Interstate Highway System and certain other roads. The Mass Transit Account was created in 1982. The federal tax on motor fuels yielded $28.2 billion in 2006.
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