McConnell Reinforces Support for State Highway Priorities, Opposition to Gas Tax Suspensions

What happened: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) May 17 told ARTBA Chairman Ward Nye (Chairman & CEO of Martin Marietta), ARTBA Board Member Arthur Walker, III (President of Walker Construction), and ARTBA CEO Dave Bauer he intends to remain engaged on implementation of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law and assure state autonomy for project selection is preserved. The ARTBA leaders told McConnell the Feb. 9 Senate Republican letter urging governors to disregard the administration’s push to emphasize maintenance projects over new highway capacity is helping states advance their priorities in the 2022 construction season. McConnell again criticized the misguided scheme to suspend the federal gas tax.

The ARTBA leaders also discussed implementing the new infrastructure law with:

• Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.)
• Senate EPW ranking Republican Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
• House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.)
• House Highways & Transit Subcommittee lead Republican Rodney Davis (R-Ill.)

Why it matters: Enactment of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was the beginning of a long process to deliver much-needed federal leadership in revitalizing the nation’s transportation infrastructure network. The meetings, which were part of the ARTBA Federal Issues Program and 2022 Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In, were an opportunity to thank key leaders for the new law and remind all parties of the work that lies ahead to realize its promised outcomes.

What’s next: ARTBA will promote the ongoing benefits of the IIJA to all members of Congress and continue its work to ensure the new law is fully funded and implemented as intended.

Photo, left to right: ARTBA board member Arthur Walker, III, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, ARTBA CEO Dave Bauer, and ARTBA Chairman Ward Nye.