Highlights of The Highway Users' Efforts in 2002
On Behalf of the Highway Community

Tax Revenues

When U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Mineta told a Senate committee in January that lower tax revenues to the Highway Trust Fund would result in a 29% reduction in federal highway funding for fiscal year 2003 –The Highway Users launched an aggressive effort. We...

  • Testified in the House and Senate for additional funds;
  • Sent letters to President Bush and Congress for increased highway investments;
  • Urged 346 organizations to sign our letter to Congress to prevent the shortfall; and
  • Sponsored a highway financing seminar with transportation appropriations subcommittee Chairman Rogers (R-KY).

Highway Funding

Reauthorization
To set the groundwork for reauthorization in 2003, we...

  • Briefed key Members of Congress and staff on our priorities;
  • Outlined the priorities in congressional testimony;
  • Discussed the issues with U.S. DOT Secretary Norman Mineta and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Chief Mary Peters;
  • Met with representatives of the National Governors' Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures; and
  • Sponsored a seminar, on September 24, 2002 "Where the Rubber Meets the Road," to get state and local perspectives on reauthorization.

Fuel Tax Evasion Schemes

In addition to supporting increasing highway investments, The Highway Users is among those who "stand watch" over the Highway Trust Fund – that's why closing loopholes that allow the proliferation of fuel tax evasion schemes could net an additional $3-$4 billion a year in revenues to the Highway Trust Fund.

  • The estimates were made by experts who presented their findings in a meeting hosted by The Highway Users. Representatives of more than a dozen private sector and government agencies attended the briefing.
  • We also discussed the issue with U.S. DOT Secretary Mineta and cited fuel tax evasion in congressional testimony.

Environmental Issues

Ethanol in Motor Fuels

When a proposal to triple the use of ethanol in motor fuels was introduced as part of a Senate national energy bill (S. 1766), we...

  • Signed a joint letter from industry and labor organizations, saying the mandate "literally will cost millions in lost revenue to the Highway Trust Fund." Since ethanol-blended fuel is taxed at a lower rate than regular gasoline, the legislation would result in a Highway Trust Fund revenue loss of almost $3 billion per year by 2012.
  • Worked with Sen. Baucus (D-MT) and his staff to support his MEGA Trust Act (S. 2678) to increase funding for highways without raising taxes. The bill also has the potential to increase funding to the Highway Account by $2.7 billion and reclaiming the revenues from ethanol taxes and subsidies for highways.
  • Supported more highway investments with grassroots and media efforts, including op-eds and a Wall Street Journal editorial. To view all Highway Users media efforts, check out our press releases.

Fuel Economy

We strongly opposed the Kerry-Hollings Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards in the Energy Policy Act of 2002 (S.517). The proposal would have raised average CAFÉ standards to 35 mpg by 2013, from the current 20.7 mpg for light trucks and SUVs and 27.5 mpg for cars. We...

  • Wrote to each member of the U.S. Senate, saying, "There are far better ways to improve fuel economy for all vehicles than arbitrarily raising CAFÉ standards. A good start would be to enact measures relieving the stifling traffic congestion that is choking our nation's highways"
  • Working through an auto-maker led coalition, we used our extensive media and grassroots contacts to help defeat Kerry-Hollings 62-38. Instead, the Senate adopted a substitute provision requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to write new fuel economy rules within two years.

Greenhouse Gases

The Highway Users and the California Highway Users Conference were part of another auto-led coalition to oppose onerous state legislation in Sacramento. A California Assembly Bill (AB 1058 and later AB 1493) gave the state Air Resources Board virtually unlimited authority to regulate greenhouse gases and allow the board to impose restrictions, taxes, fees and reduced speed limits on drivers and their vehicles. We...

  • Testified against the bill in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee on April 1, 2002;
  • Discussed our opposition to the proposal with California reporters;
  • Brought the bill to the attention of various groups; and
  • Finally, urged Gov. Gray Davis (D) to veto the measure.

Air Quality & Energy Consumption

In January 2002 the Foundation for Clean Air Progress (FCAP) released a study analyzing federal government data collected since 1970 that revealed dramatic U.S. air quality improvements even as the nation experienced an equally dramatic rise in energy consumption. The study, entitled Breathing Easier About Energy: A Healthy Economy and Healthier Air, tracked air quality gains and energy consumption during the 30-year period from 1970-1999 and showed a 43% drop in Clean Air Act pollutants while overall national energy consumption grew 41%. FCAP was chartered by The Highway Users.

Quality Growth Campaign

An ongoing issue in 2002 was our Quality Growth Campaign. We continued to testify in Congress that our national behavior requires more road capacity to meet our demands for safe, uncongested roads and personal mobility.

Streamlining the Environmental Review Process

One of the ways to expand road capacity on a timely basis is to streamline the project planning process for highways and transit while maintaining environmental protection and public involvement.

  • On October 8, 2002, we testified before the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Highways and Transit Subcommittee in support of T&I Committee Chair Don Young's (R-AK) ExPDITE Act (H.R. 5455).
  • We also sent letters to President Bush and Secretary Mineta after the President issued an Executive Order that would require interagency cooperation and expeditious document processing for significant highway projects. Senator Baucus also introduced the Senate streamlining legislation, MEGA Stream (S. 3031).

Guide to Highway Issues

To get 2002 congressional candidates thinking about key highway and transportation issues, including reauthorization of TEA 21, which expires in 2003, The Highway Users and other groups developed and distributed, "The Road to Congress." The binders, improved and better designed than the 1996 version, were sponsored jointly by The Highway Users, Associated General Contractors, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers and the National Sand, Stone and Gravel Association. Thanks to an all-out effort by our members and other grassroots supporters, the binders was delivered virtually to every Member of Congress and other candidates for major and federal states offices.

Roadway Safety

To support efforts by the Roadway Safety Foundation to reduce fatalities caused by the physical characteristics of roadways, The Highway Users provided staff support to RSF, a 501(c)(6) organization it chartered in 1987. See list of RSF Activities in 2002.

Keeping Members Informed

As a resource to the highway community about transportation issues that impact mobility and safety, The Highway Users published a wide range of member communications to keep members informed about efforts on their behalf and relevant trends and developments. This includes the weekly Rules of the Road; the monthly Action Update; a quarterly online newsletter, America's Highways; and Legislative Alerts and Legislative Updates, as issues warrant.

American Highway Users Alliance
1776 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036
(P) 202.857-1200 | (F) 202-857-1220
http://www.highways.org/