MAS Members! Urge U.S. Senators to support critical amendment for surface transportation bill

As the owners of 78% of the nation's road miles and 50% of the national bridge inventory, local governments play a critical role in America's surface transportation network. The Wicker-Booker Amendment #2289 would increase funding for our country's locally-owned infrastructure and provide more federal transportation dollars to local decision makers who are best suited to represent the needs of their communities and regions. For a copy of the letter sent to Senator Wicker and Senator Booker and a more in-depth pdf copy of this information, please download here.

Call to Action from the National Association of Counties is below.

URGE YOUR U.S. SENATORS TO SUPPORT CRITICAL AMENDMENT TO SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BILL

Last night, the U.S. Senate continued work on H.R. 22, the legislative vehicle being used to move the chamber's six-year surface transportation authorization bill known as the DRIVE Act.  The long-term bill would replace the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which is scheduled to expire July 31, 2015 and includes meaningful policy reforms for counties, including increased and designated funding for county-owned bridges, safety reforms for high-risk rural roads and more.

Although the bill addresses a number of NACo's priorities for surface transportation reauthorization, further improvements to the legislation would make the DRIVE Act a better product for counties and county-owned infrastructure.

Action Requested! Make Final Push for Critical Amendment

Senators are now working to complete action on their surface transportation bill with final action on the legislation expected to occur over the coming days. Therefore, NACo asks counties to urge your Senators to support the Wicker-Booker Amendment #2289 to the DRIVE Act that would help county-owned highways and bridges in the final surface transportation bill.

As the owners of 78 percent of the nation's road miles and 50 percent of the national bridge inventory, local governments play a critical role in America's surface transportation network. The Wicker-Booker Amendment #2289 would increase funding for our country's locally-owned infrastructure and provide more federal transportation dollars to local decision-makers who are best suited to represent the needs of their communities and regions.

Please ask your Senators to co-sponsor Amendment #2289 to the DRIVE Act and push for its inclusion in the final bill.

At this time, the best way to deliver this message is by calling your senators' D.C. offices and asking to speak with their transportation staff. Here you will find contact information for your senators' transportation staff.

To co-sponsor Wicker-Booker Amendment #2289, your senators' staff should contact:

Click here to view NACo's joint letter of support for Wicker-Booker Amendment #2289.

For further information on the DRIVE Act and NACo's priorities for surface transportation authorization, contact NACo Associate Legislative Director Jessica Monahan at jmonahan@naco.org.

You may also follow Jessica on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jimonhan for frequent updates and the latest information about the reauthorization process.