U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta recently completed a four-day national campaign to seek an end to congressional delays in the passing of President Bush's six-year federal surface transportation reauthorization bill.

Mineta and other senior transportation officials are asking that lawmakers not resort to short-term extensions of the current legislation -- Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) -- as well as congressional overspending that could deplete the highway trust fund rapidly.
In addition, Mineta recently sent lawmakers a letter warning that if they did not pass reauthorization language by the current legislation's Sept. 30 expiration date, key federal highway safety administration programs would be shut down.
In June, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the Surface Transportation Safety Reauthorization Act of 2003 by voice vote. The committee's bill deals with TEA-21 reauthorization safety issues under that committee's jurisdiction. That bill will be offered as an amendment to the TEA-21 reauthorization when the full Senate considers it. An amendment to that committee's bill freezes current weight and length limits of vehicles operating on federal highways.
If passed, this would remove the states' authority to set length and weight standards of vehicles on the National Highway System. The Truckload Carriers Assn. (TCA) supports a policy of no increase in truck weight or length, and seeks to protect those sizes and weights that currently apply.
For more information, call TCA’s Rich Clemente at (703) 838-8847.