Thune Statement on Bipartisan DRIVE Act

Press Release

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation chairman U.S. Sen. John Thune issued the following statement on a bipartisan multi-year transportation bill that includes modifications to the committee's various titles covering key transportation safety and regulatory reforms:

"The DRIVE Act provides much-needed certainty to states and our nation's overall transportation system , doesn't increase the gas tax, and if passed would be the longest highway funding measure in over a decade," said Thune. "As Commerce Committee chairman, my committee -- with some recent input from Sen. Boxer and other colleagues -- has offered a safety and regulatory title in the bill that will create safer highways and rail service. Building on the administration's proposed GROW AMERICA Act, the bill provides additional authority to streamline delivery of infrastructure projects, consolidates state trucking enforcement grants to provide additional flexibility to states, and helps each state address challenges facing highways, railroads, ports, airports, and pipelines."

The bipartisan, multi-year Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act would help modernize the nation's infrastructure and transportation systems to better allow America to compete in the 21st century.

The DRIVE Act gives state and local government the certainty, flexibility and stability to better develop the country's transportation and public transit infrastructure, while improving railroad and highway safety.

The bill reverses the trend of short-term, temporary fixes to fund the nation's transportation network. These "patches" have left states and localities without the certainty they need to plan and build long-term infrastructure projects.

The DRIVE Act is a six-year highway authorization that will allow planning for important long-term projects around the country, and provides three years of guaranteed funding for the highway trust fund.

The bill is fully offset with spending reductions or changes to federal programs. It does not increase the deficit or raise taxes.

This bipartisan legislation is comprised of four main components that were principally negotiated by the four committees of jurisdiction, including the Environment & Public Works, Commerce, Banking, Homeland Security/Governmental Affairs and Finance committees.

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