Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011
Encyclopedia
The Surface and Air Transportation Program Extension Act of 2011 became a United States law when President Barack Obama
signed the Act on September 16, 2011 (Public Law No. 112-30. The law extends taxes which fund federal highway expenditures through March and the Federal Aviation Administration through January. The Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 is a direct result of an agreement which was reached by the House and Senate majority leaders. This extension act was a top priority to Congress because federal highway and FAA funding was about to expire.
passed through the United States House of Representatives
on September 13, 2011, and through the United States Senate
on September 15, 2011. President Obama signed the bill on September 16, 2011.
to the United States Congress
for consideration. The Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 was on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Ways and Means Committee.
from Kentucky
, introduced both amendments. The first amendment set limits on the Highway Trust Fund, and the second amendment decreased disbursements of the Federal Aviation Administration
.
. The organization feels that this is a long overdue problem that is being fixed on a short, temporary basis.
The ATA's President, Bill Graves, is not convinced, and even though $27.5 billion in the jobs proposal initiated by Obama is going to help boost the nation's economy, by way of, funding needed repairs and expanding roads and bridges. It is only scratching the surface to the real problem at hand. Graves is skeptical of Obama's plans, in regards to, establishing an infrastructure bank and increasing other taxes to pay for roads, bridges, and other programs in the jobs bill.
spoke loudly to Congress regarding passing the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011, and to increase funding to aid in the country's broken infrastructure system. The programs were extended through to January 31, 2012. According to the "Failure to Act" division, if the United States does not invest in surface transportation programs soon, she will lose $900 billion.
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
signed the Act on September 16, 2011 (Public Law No. 112-30. The law extends taxes which fund federal highway expenditures through March and the Federal Aviation Administration through January. The Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 is a direct result of an agreement which was reached by the House and Senate majority leaders. This extension act was a top priority to Congress because federal highway and FAA funding was about to expire.
Voting facts
The billBill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
passed through the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
on September 13, 2011, and through the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on September 15, 2011. President Obama signed the bill on September 16, 2011.
Committee assignments
Committees are formed to critique the proposed bill and to aid in lobbyingLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
for consideration. The Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 was on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Ways and Means Committee.
Amendments
On September 15, 2011, two amendments were introduced to the legislation. Senator Paul, a RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, introduced both amendments. The first amendment set limits on the Highway Trust Fund, and the second amendment decreased disbursements of the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
.
Bill-to-law highlights
- Highway programs: limit of $42.5 billion; authorizations for surface transportation research extended
- Highway safety programs: authorization of $335 million administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
broken down with $117.5 million going to Chapter 4 Highway Safety Programs; $54.122 million going to Highway Safety Research and Development; $12.5 million given towards Occupant Protection Incentive Grants; $24.25 given towards Safety Belt Performance Grants; $17.25 given towards State Traffic Safety Information Systems Improvements; $69.5 million given towards Alcohol-Impaired Driving Counter-Measures Incentives Grant Program; $2.05 million given towards National Driver Register; $14.5 million given towards High Visibility Enforcement Program; $3.5 million given towards Motorcyclist Safety, $3.5 million given towards Child Safety and Child Booster Seat Safety Incentive Program; and $12.66 million given towards Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Administrative Expenses (signed by President George W. Bush on August 10, 2005). - Transit progams:the bill allowed for the obligation of upwards to $5.1 billion administered by the Federal Transit Administration allocation of $4.18 billion for formula and bus grants; $800 million for capital investment grants; $29.5 million for research and university centers; and $49.45 million for Federal Transit administrative costs
- Provisions impacting essential air service: the Essential Air ServiceEssential Air ServiceEssential Air Service is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which, prior to deregulation, were served by certificated airlines, maintained commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these...
program was enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States are served by certificaed airlines and maintained commercial service. H.R. 2887 (Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011) changes the EAS by currently allocating funds out of the Airport and Airway Trust FundAirport and Airway Trust FundThe Airport and Airway Trust Fund provides funding for the federal commitment to the aviation system of the United States of America through several aviation-related excise taxes. It was established on the books of the United States Department of the Treasury in 1971...
. There will be $150 million taken from this fund from January-April 2012. Legislation has then agreed to have $50 million given each fiscal year from administrative accounts of over flight fees. There will an additional allocation of $2 million from January-April 2012 for the Small Community Air Service Development program. This program allows the Transportation Department to offer grants to small cities not already receiving sufficient air carrier service.
Extension of federal-aid highways
Funds for federal aid to highways will be allocated from the Highway Trust Fund, but none to be taken from the Mass Transit Account, for projects between the time-frame of October 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012.Summary details
Extended funds have been allocated towards:- Research and developmentResearch and developmentThe phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
, including deployment initiatives within surface transportation - Training and education
- Bureau of TransportationBureau of TransportationThe Bureau of Transportation of the United States Post Office Department was established in 1960. It was the successor to the Postal Transportation Service ; the PTS had responsibility for mail transportation contracting as well as employees assigned to Mobile Unit and stationary PTS facilities...
statistics and analysis - Research within intelligent transportation systems
Transportation program funds extended
- Interstate and national highway system
- Congestion mitigation and air quality improvement
- Highway safety improvement
- Surface transportation
- Highway bridge
Details
The Surface and Air Transportation Act provided funding for:- highway construction
- bridge repair
- mass transit systems
- keeping construction workers employed
Benefits relating to the passing of the bill
- 4,000 workers did not go one day without pay
- $1 billion in highway funding did not go unattended
- over 1 million workers were able to keep their jobs
Arguments against the temporary fix
Although the American Trucking Association (ATA) is relieved that the act was extended ensuring further job proposals, the organization feels it is only a quick fix that will essentially boost employment temporarily. The organization is pushing for passing multi-year legislation, instead of, multi-month legislationLegislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
. The organization feels that this is a long overdue problem that is being fixed on a short, temporary basis.
The ATA's President, Bill Graves, is not convinced, and even though $27.5 billion in the jobs proposal initiated by Obama is going to help boost the nation's economy, by way of, funding needed repairs and expanding roads and bridges. It is only scratching the surface to the real problem at hand. Graves is skeptical of Obama's plans, in regards to, establishing an infrastructure bank and increasing other taxes to pay for roads, bridges, and other programs in the jobs bill.
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil EngineersAmerican Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
spoke loudly to Congress regarding passing the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011, and to increase funding to aid in the country's broken infrastructure system. The programs were extended through to January 31, 2012. According to the "Failure to Act" division, if the United States does not invest in surface transportation programs soon, she will lose $900 billion.
Related Obama political initiatives
- Surface Transportation Security Priority Assessment (March, 2010): part of Obama's Homeland SecurityHomeland securityHomeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
initiative, this assessment seeks to analyze the United States surface transportation system, which consists of Mass Transit, Highways, Freight Rail, and Pipelines. This interdependent network services millions of communities every day and is critical to the United States' economy. With more terrorist attacks on the world's mass transit systems, securing the surface transportation network from attacks requires efforts from many levels, including, but not limited to, all levels of government, the private and nonprofit sectors, communities, and citizens alike. - The American Jobs ActAmerican Jobs ActThe American Jobs Act and are bills proposed by US President Barack Obama in a nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress on September 8, 2011...
: the key facts to this act includes tax cuts to help America's small businesses hire more people and grow in the industry, putting more workers back to work and rebuilding and modernizing America in the process, building pathways for Americans looking for job opportunities, tax cuts for the American worker and his/her family, and funded by Obama's long-term deficit reduction plan.
Main agencies in charge
- Transportation Security AdministrationTransportation Security AdministrationThe Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
(TSA) - Government Coordinating Council (GCC)
- Sector Coordinating Council (SCC)
- State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Government Coordinating Council (SLTTGCC)
See also
- Federal Highway AdministrationFederal Highway AdministrationThe Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
- Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
- PolicyPolicyA policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
- Highways
- Road TransportRoad transportRoad transport or road transportation is transport on roads of passengers or goods. A hybrid of road transport and ship transport is the historic horse-drawn boat.-History:...
- InfrastructureInfrastructureInfrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...