AGC among trade groups pushing for passage of TEA-LU highway bill.

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Washington, is foremost among the interested parties waiting for Congress to finalize a multi-year federal transportation spending bill, working its way through Capitol Hill as the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU).

In late February, the AGC arranged for many of its members to fly into Washington to personally remind Congressional representatives of the importance of the bill to its constituents. "The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee should be allowed to follow the lead of the Chairman and pass TEA-LU," says Stephen E. Sandherr, CEO of the trade group. "The Senate has acted and now the House Leaders need to support action on a comprehensive six-year package that includes a minimum of $318 billion funding level to address the needs of the federal-aid highway and transit programs."

However, in early April the House Transportation Committee passed a slimmed down version of the bill allocating $275 billion in spending projects, a figure some $100 billion less than what was recommended by Committee chair Don Young (R-Alaska). The AGC has expressed alarm that the Bush Administration's initial budget submission "missed an opportunity to improve the American quality of life."