WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered the following prepared remarks at today’s “Surface Transportation Reauthorization: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps” hearing:

Thank you Mr. Chairman for holding this hearing today. I would like to welcome Secretary Foxx back to the committee. We appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you the administration’s surface transportation proposal as well as other matters.

Maintaining and improving our nation’s infrastructure is absolutely vital to our country’s economic prosperity. States like South Dakota rely on a top quality transportation network to connect the vast distances between our communities and to help deliver critical agriculture products and natural resources via truck and freight rail to markets across the country and around the globe. 

Also important is the safety mission of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which not only conducts vehicle safety research, but also administers various grants to keep motorists safe. While we are approaching the expiration of the most recent Surface Transportation bill (MAP-21) that was signed into law just less than two years ago, like the Chairman, I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on both the Commerce Committee and also the Finance Committee to ensure that we continue to have a robust surface transportation program.

I am glad that the administration released its first-ever surface transportation reauthorization proposal last week, especially in light of the anticipated shortfalls facing the Highway Trust Fund.

As many in this room know, the Highway Trust Fund is projected to become insolvent later this summer. This shortfall, which is already being felt, will lead to delays in highway and safety improvements and reimbursements to states and the construction sector.  

This is particularly problematic for cold-weather states such as South Dakota that have a shorter construction season and a limited window to make decisions regarding which projects to select, bid, and ultimately begin construction.

As Congress works to reauthorize our nation’s highway programs, the most important question we must answer is how we will pay for the program going forward. 

Since serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during TEA-21, to our efforts with SAFETEA-LU, and most recently MAP-21, I am skeptical about the financing proposals the administration has put forward to fund its $302 billion plan, especially the administration’s reliance upon one-time revenues from so-called corporate tax reform. This aspect of the plan is unlikely to secure broad support in Congress and fails to provide a longer-term funding solution for these vital programs. 

I am also concerned by the administration’s proposal to fund additional programs—including new programs on passenger rail and vehicle safety and an expansion of TIGER —through the successor to the Highway Trust Fund. In a time of limited revenue, it would be unwise to make new promises regarding programs that have the potential to divert funding from the core mission of the Highway Trust Fund.    

Nevertheless, there are some provisions I am encouraged by, including the fact that the administration has finally recognized my call for extending the deadline for Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation. As we have discussed previously in this committee, delays at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and other unforeseen events since enactment of the PTC mandate in 2008, have prevented nearly all passenger and freight railroads from moving forward on implementation of this technology. 

Along with Senators Blunt, McCaskill, and Pryor I have introduced legislation, which is supported by other members of this committee, to extend the 2015 deadline in order to provide all railroads with a realistic timeframe for full implementation. 

There are now fourteen bipartisan co-sponsors of this legislation, and I hope that our committee will address the PTC issue yet this Congress. 

Unfortunately, however, the administration’s proposal does not include a straightforward extension of the 2015 deadline, something which I think is necessary, especially given the delays at the FCC. I hope to see such an extension included in any final bill reported out of our committee, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and with the administration on this important issue.

Thank you again Mr. Chairman for holding this hearing, and I look forward to Secretary Foxx’s testimony.

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