With President’s Signature, Long-Term Highway Bill Becomes Law

WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today praised the Republican Congress’s work to produce a long-term bipartisan highway bill that funds America’s surface transportation programs for five full years without raising taxes or adding to the deficit. Hatch issued the following statement after the President signed the bill, known as Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, into law:

“Today shows what happens when Congress works together in a constructive bipartisan manner to find solutions for the American people. Any serious agenda aimed at growing the economy must include securing a reliable infrastructure system.  And after years of short-term patches, the new Republican-led Congress defied the odds and produced a bill that provides much-needed stability and certainty to our country’s highway and transit programs – all without a single tax increase.   Solutions such as this are what the American people deserve from their elected leaders.”

BACKGROUND: 

As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Hatch spearheaded efforts in Congress to provide funding for a bipartisan multi-year highway bill. In July, the Senate passed a long-term highway bill to reauthorize the program for six years. The measure, under Hatch’s leadership, funded the programs for a full three years.

Following House action on a separate highway bill this fall, Hatch was appointed to serve on the Highway Conference Committee, to reconcile the differences between the Senate and House bills.

The final Conference Report for the FAST Act reauthorizes and fully funds America’s highway programs for five years.

To view a copy of the bill text click here.

A summary of the Conference Report can be found here.

The Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of the Conference can be found here.

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