AEM Urges Congress to Make Highway Bill Top Priority in June

June 1, 2005 — The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is urging the House and Senate to take action on the critical reauthorization of federal highway and public transportation programs needed to repair and maintain an adequate transportation network and assure stability and continued growth in the transportation construction industry.

For more than 20 months, Congress has been unable to reauthorize the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which will set guaranteed funding levels for highway construction and transit capital investment for the next several years. Federal highway and public transportation programs have operated under six extensions, with the most recent expiring May 31.

“Congress needs to pass a long-term highway/transit bill and end the nearly two years of short-term extensions of the program,” said AEM President Dennis J. Slater. "The overwhelming support that respective bills have received in the House and Senate should provide momentum for a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the two bills.”

At the time AEM issued this statement, Congress was expected to extend the program a seventh time until June 30, 2005.