Let's Not Lower Our Sights

Jack Schenendorf is Of Counsel with the law firm of Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C. His practice concentrates on transportation and government affairs with a particular focus on legislative strategy, legislative procedure, and the federal budget process. He recently served as Vice-Chairman of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, which was established by Congress in the SAFETEA-LU legislation. Jack represents the Ports-to-Plains Alliance in Washington, D.C.

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Jack Schenendorf in National Journal Transportation Expert Blog

October 22, 2010

Abraham Lincoln called Henry Clay “my beau idol,” largely because he was dedicated to building America. Clay focused on constructing roads and inland waterways to tie America together, create prosperity and improve the lives of all citizens. In the midst of the Civil War, Lincoln created the first transcontinental railroad. Teddy Roosevelt championed the Panama Canal, Dwight Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System, and Ronald Reagan increased the motor fuel user fee to grow federal transportation investment. All were conservative Republicans.

Indeed, conservatives have a rich legacy of building assets to improve America, recognizing the difference between wasteful or unnecessary government spending and wise capital investment which provides the American people and American businesses with the tools they need to prosper. Fortunately, most modern-day conservatives still believe in building America.

And that will be important because the new Congress will face extraordinary fiscal challenges—a lackluster economy and enormous and unsustainable budget deficits—that threaten our way of life. These problems are so serious that some question whether America still has what it takes to solve them. Will our political institutions be able to work together—Democrats and Republicans, the House and Senate, Congress and the Executive Branch—to lay the foundation for long-term, sustainable economic growth? Will they be able to reduce our current budget deficits of more than a trillion dollars a year? Will they be able to address the long-term structural budget deficit proactively in a thoughtful way, or will it take a crisis such as defaulting on bonds to force action? Americans will be watching, as will the world.

Transportation investment is an essential part of the solution. If the new Congress is to lay the foundation for long-term, sustainable economic growth, it must pass a robust, long-term surface transportation bill. Study after study has documented the massive underinvestment in our nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. So has the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Congress, both of which have called for increased Federal investment in our surface transportation network. The Chamber has concluded that “the nation’s economic stability, potential for job growth, and global competitiveness are at risk” if the underinvestment continues.

In fact, the Chamber recently released a landmark study: the Transportation Performance Index. It proves—for the first time—a direct relationship between transportation infrastructure performance and GDP. The Chamber study concluded that the U.S. transportation network is NOT serving the needs of businesses and the overall U.S. economy. America is falling behind, as other nations race ahead. The study also concluded that if we pursue business as usual over the next five years, it will cost the economy $336 billion in lost growth.

The new Congress must not let this happen. Instead, Congress must pass a meaningful, six-year transportation bill that reforms the federal program, focuses on the national interest, provides for an appropriate federal role, and shortens the time it takes to build projects. And the bill must substantially increase funding and provide the financing necessary to get the job done in a deficit-neutral way. This increased investment is so important that organizations representing the users of the system—NAM, the Chamber, trucking organizations, the AAA, and others—have all expressed a willingness to pay more IF Congress passes a bill that will actually upgrade our highways, transit systems and intermodal facilities in a meaningful way.

Without adequate funding and financing the bill—regardless of other reforms—would just be a hollow promise. Our transportation systems would continue to deteriorate, and our highways and transit systems would continue to have insufficient capacity to meet the needs of a growing population. Our economy would continue to suffer. Congress must not go down this path. The American people are looking for real solutions, not false hope.

If Republicans are in control of the House and/or Senate in the new Congress, and if it is one of the most conservative congresses as Congressman Mica speculated, that does not mean that we have to “lower our sights,” to borrow a phrase from Ken Orski. Just the opposite should be the case. Conservatives should realize how important it is for the American people and American businesses to have a strong national transportation platform on which to compete in today’s competitive global marketplace. Only in this way will we be able sustain a growing economy that generates the private sector jobs we need over the long term. And to top it off, a visionary transportation initiative would be a source of great national pride.

By the way, the same holds true if Democrats retain control of Congress. It’s time for the two political parties to work together for the common good. We must put America first. A visionary, bipartisan transportation initiative would be a great way to start.