the state of play in congress margo pedroso deputy director safe routes to school national...

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