US House Transportations Appropriations Subcommittee Adds to Burden of American Taxpayers
“US Senate is now last stand to restore fiscal sanity”
You would have thought that congressional Republican leaders would have gotten the message from the 2014 elections. Grassroots conservatives have had it with increased federal spending and a government that’s out of control. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the message has sunk in yet. As reported in USA Today this week, the US House, under lobbying pressure from big business, caved in and passed a Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill that tacked on “riders” forcing states to allow larger double-trailer trucks on its roads.
The result of such legislation, if it is allowed to stand, is obvious. Adding larger trucks to roads and highways that are already in need of repair and maintenance will only add to the burden being borne by American taxpayers. Also, having the Federal Government force the states to allow larger trucks on their roads is a slap in the face to “states’ rights.”
Here are the facts:
– In order to have these Twin 33 trailer trucks on the roads, the US Department of Transportation will be required to reinforce over 70,000 bridges that are in significant need of repair, which would cost at least $2 billion extra per year!
– Also, these heavy Twin 33 trailers will cause major wear and tear to our roads, which will result in an increase of at least an additional $6-12 billion to repair pavements per year. Guess who will be stuck with the bill? You – the American taxpayer.
Fortunately, grassroots conservatives are now going to the Senate to stop the House legislation and restore fiscal sanity. As Mississippi Central Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall noted in a letter to US Senator Thad Cochran urging him to reject the House provision, “I don’t like Congress mandating that states do this.”
In addition to the “states’ rights” and fiscal issue, conservatives have also raised safety issues concerning the House legislation. The letter from Commissioner Hall, which was signed along with Mississippi’s other two elected commissioners, said it best when they said allowing the House provision to stand “would endanger motorists, worsen our crumbling roads, and increase the fiscal burden shouldered by Mississippi taxpayers.”
Next week, the US Senate is expected to take up the legislation. It’s time for, not just Mississippi taxpayers, but all taxpayers, to stand up and contact their Senators and urge them to restore fiscal sanity.