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Washington, D.C. – Opening remarks, as prepared, of Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC) from today’s hearing, entitled “America Builds: Highways to Move People and Freight”:

Today’s hearing begins our subcommittee’s activity in the 119^th Congress.  I want to recognize our new Subcommittee Members and welcome back my colleagues who have previously served.  I’m honored to serve as Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee and I look forward to working with Chairman Graves and Committee Members as we begin a very active Congress.

The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) included provisions to authorize our nation’s highway programs through September 30, 2026.

As we begin the important work of reauthorizing our nation’s surface transportation programs, this committee will build upon the bipartisan successes of the 118^th Congress, and I look forward to working with Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Ranking Member Norton, our colleagues, and the Trump Administration to produce a bipartisan, Member-driven bill that revitalizes our nation’s infrastructure.

It’s important we hear from the people working and interfacing directly with these programs to ensure Congressional intent is being followed. 

Our highway network ensures the safe and efficient movement of people and freight, and improves economic competitiveness.  In fact, the United States transportation system is comprised of 4.2 million miles of public roads and almost 620,000 bridges.  This infrastructure maintains our supply chain through the free-flowing movement of goods across our country.  To ensure goods move efficiently and that we keep costs low for American goods and services, we must continue to invest in our nation’s most vital infrastructure: our highways and bridges.

The highways, roads, and bridges linking our communities and states, supported through existing core formula programs, are the foundation of our economy.  To keep projects moving, continued flexibility for our state departments of transportation is imperative.  Individual states know their unique transportation needs and how to best address them.  We must continue to uphold and abide by this hallmark principle in the next highway bill.

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses, who will be able to share what’s working, what’s not, and why an extension would be detrimental for state DOTs planning multi-year projects.  While I believe most here today understand the urgent need to address our nation’s most pressing infrastructure concerns, we must also recognize that we don’t have a blank checkbook.

IIJA authorized and appropriated $365 billion for highway programs.  Within the five-year reauthorization for highway programs, the law increased funding by 62 percent compared to the five-year average of the previous bill, the 2015 FAST Act.  This is a staggering increase.

On top of reauthorizing existing programs, IIJA created new discretionary programs, including efforts to prioritize electric vehicle charging infrastructure, cut carbon emissions, and support “active transportation” projects, like bike lanes, among others.

With our national debt passing $36 trillion last year, we must scrutinize and streamline programs to address waste and ensure our tax dollars are focused on reliable infrastructure that will help grow our GDP.

We must also have a frank discussion about the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, the main funding source for highway projects.  Since 2008, Congress has transferred approximately $275 billion to cover the shortfall of revenues as expenditures have grown. 

Highway funding relies on a “user-pays” principle.  It’s pretty simple: you purchase fuel to fill up your vehicle to use the roads, and our fuel taxes go into the Highway Trust Fund.  However, electric vehicles, which are often heavier than their conventional counterparts because of their batteries, do not pay into the Highway Trust Fund.  It is wholly unfair that an entire segment of users doesn’t contribute to the roads and bridges they use.  This won’t address the greater solvency issue, but we must rectify this, so all users are treated fairly and contribute to the systems on which they rely.

Continued investment in our nation’s highway network translates to a strong economy and improved quality of life for all Americans.  I look forward to today’s discussion.

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