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03-09-04, 01:50 PM
The US Transportation Enhancements program (currently known as TEA-21) helps fund new construction and improvements that will benefit alternative transportation. If the government is to improve conditions for cyclists it will likely happen with money supplied via TE grants.
The current TEA-21 funding began in 1998 and ends this year:
From www.transact.org (http://www.transact.org/transfer/trans04/3_04.asp):
Late last week, Congress approved another extension of the federal surface transportation law (“TEA-21”), averting a shutdown of key federal transportation agencies and any potential disruption to state and local transportation project sponsors that would have occurred beginning March 1.
The legislation (H.R. 3850), which extends TEA-21 for two months through April 30, was immediately signed by President Bush and is now Public Law 108-202. (To view the legislation, go to: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h3850enr.txt.pdf ).
This is the second time Congress has extended the six-year TEA-21 law, which expired September 30. The first extension law (P.L. 108-88), enacted in late September, kept TEA-21 in effect for five months through February 29.
This extension effort was fraught with more controversy. Senate and House transportation leaders disagreed over the length of the extension period, with the House shrinking their original proposal from four months to two months. The Senate, which passed the measure just minutes before adjourning for the weekend when the law was due to expire, had to satisfy two Senators on the duration of the 9/11 Commission in order to secure unanimous consent to vote on the two-month extension bill.
Another disagreement between the House and Senate arose over funding flexibility provisions contained the 5-month extension law that allowed states to use available highway funds for any program purpose. The House version of the extension sought to protect funding for the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), Transportation Enhancements, Safety and STP urbanized area funds (MPOs of 200,000 or more) programs, provisions that were strongly supported by STPP and its many partner organizations. While Senate transportation leaders originally did not want these protections, Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee prevailed and they were included in the final legislation.
The current TEA-21 funding began in 1998 and ends this year:
From www.transact.org (http://www.transact.org/transfer/trans04/3_04.asp):
Late last week, Congress approved another extension of the federal surface transportation law (“TEA-21”), averting a shutdown of key federal transportation agencies and any potential disruption to state and local transportation project sponsors that would have occurred beginning March 1.
The legislation (H.R. 3850), which extends TEA-21 for two months through April 30, was immediately signed by President Bush and is now Public Law 108-202. (To view the legislation, go to: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h3850enr.txt.pdf ).
This is the second time Congress has extended the six-year TEA-21 law, which expired September 30. The first extension law (P.L. 108-88), enacted in late September, kept TEA-21 in effect for five months through February 29.
This extension effort was fraught with more controversy. Senate and House transportation leaders disagreed over the length of the extension period, with the House shrinking their original proposal from four months to two months. The Senate, which passed the measure just minutes before adjourning for the weekend when the law was due to expire, had to satisfy two Senators on the duration of the 9/11 Commission in order to secure unanimous consent to vote on the two-month extension bill.
Another disagreement between the House and Senate arose over funding flexibility provisions contained the 5-month extension law that allowed states to use available highway funds for any program purpose. The House version of the extension sought to protect funding for the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), Transportation Enhancements, Safety and STP urbanized area funds (MPOs of 200,000 or more) programs, provisions that were strongly supported by STPP and its many partner organizations. While Senate transportation leaders originally did not want these protections, Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee prevailed and they were included in the final legislation.