The Transportation Empowerment Act

Transportation Empowerment Act

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom Graves & U.S. Sen. Mike Lee

 

“People want to spend less time in traffic and more time enjoying life. Our bill does away with the Washington middleman and streamlines the highway program, allowing more projects to be completed at a lower cost. This approach paves the way for commuters to move more easily between home and work, freeing up important family time and cutting out hours of frustration behind the wheel.” - Congressman Tom Graves
The Transportation Empowerment (TEA) Act would completely reform the current highway funding program. It aims to open up America’s transportation system to greater local control, better targeted projects, and a more efficient way to maintain and improve the nation’s infrastructure. The bill allows states to respond to the needs of their communities and develop systems that result in less traffic, shorter commutes, access to more affordable homes, and will help families better manage the work-life balance.
 

How it Works
 

• Transfers almost all authority over federal highway and transit programs to the states over a five-year period.
• Lowers the federal gas tax to 3.7 cents from 18.4 cents over the same time period.
• During the five-year phase out, states will receive block grants that come with vastly fewer federal strings attached.

What It Does

• Immediately reduces the bureaucratic burden involved in the construction of critical transportation projects.
• Results in a faster administrative response to the transportation problems Americans face, such as traffic, commuting, and access.
• Gives states greater flexibility in their tax structure.
• Connects where people want to work with where they want to live.
• Opens opportunities to develop new mass-transit solutions, innovate environmental protections, and improve the financing of projects.
• Creates jobs and grows the economy.

Why The Current System Hurts The Commute

• When the costs of federal red tape and Highway Trust Fund redistribution are taken into account, 37 states, including Georgia, have a rate of return below 100%. For example, Georgia’s estimated buying power in Fiscal Year 2014 is anticipated to be approximately 84% based on the most recent Highway Trust Fund payment information available, costing Georgia taxpayers $185 million.
• For Fiscal Year 2014, $820 million was authorized nationwide for so-called “transportation alternatives” defined in part as landscaping, scenic beautification, and transportation museums, among other items.

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