Mica cuts 40 percent from House transportation spending

Last Thursday, Representative John Mica (R- Florida) unveiled the House Transportation Reauthorization bill which would allocate $230 billion to infrastructure projects over the next six years.

The bill has generated fierce criticism as it would cut transportation spending for America’s roadways by nearly 40 percent. In contrast the Obama administration had requested a bill that would authorize $500 to $550 billion in spending.

The bill would also scrap President Obama’s plan to create a national infrastructure bank to stimulate private investment in infrastructure in favor of bolstering state infrastructure banks.

According to Mica, the bill would match spending revenue to the Highway Trust fund, which comes from the federal gas tax. Mica believes that this proposal could generate $35 billion a year for six years, but by leveraging private investments, consolidating or eliminating about seventy federal programs, and cutting “bureaucratic red tape” that number could be as large as $75 billion a year.

“We’ve looked at every way possible to maximize those dollars,” he said.

The bill’s outcome is uncertain as Senator Barbara Boxer (D – California), the chair of the Public Works Subcommittee is expected to propose a two year $109 billion transportation spending bill that would maintain infrastructure spending at current levels with adjustments for inflation.