Republicans are toying with the idea of bringing back a plan from Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to pay for America’s highways with an expansion of oil and gas drilling offshore and on federal land.
With conservatives ruling out an increase in the federal gas tax, Republicans are casting around for another way to shore up highway funding before it expires in May.
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One idea being floated is Boehner’s drilling-for-roads swap, which failed to gain traction in the past amid opposition from Democrats.
“I think it’s a great idea to increase domestic energy and rebuild America’s infrastructure,” said Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “It’s something we should absolutely explore.”
“It’s certainly something worth talking about,” said Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which has responsibility over federal land and the country’s outer continental shelf.
Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said the Speaker has an “open mind” about using drilling funds for roads, after having all but ruled it out last year, two years after he was one of the main proponents.
While the proposal fits neatly into the Republican priorities of increasing domestic energy production and building infrastructure, transportation advocates argue it wouldn’t bring in anywhere near the money needed for the nation’s highways.
Advocates estimate that the federal government needs to spend about $15 billion more each year simply to maintain the current highway system, let alone improve it.
Fuel taxes of 18.4 cents per gallon of gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel are the main sources of funding for the Highway Trust Fund. Those taxes haven’t been raised in more than two decades, and their buying power has declined significantly as roads have deteriorated.
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