Transportation
Current and Upcoming Transportation Issues in Congress
As both Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I will be in a unique position to shape the next Highway bill. In so doing, I fully intend to once again dedicate myself to protecting the programs that were started under the last two bills, known as SAFETEA-LU and TEA-21. Just as before, I believe that it’s vital that we pass a strong highway bill to help boost our economy, to create more jobs, and to strengthen our transportation system.
Protecting the Highway Trust Fund and the Airports and Airways Trust Fund
Congress is looking at the revenue projections for the trust funds over the next decade, as well as ways to sustain and strengthen our highway and aviation programs. Because both programs are funded by user-fee trust funds, it’s important that we have strong trust funds in place and that those funds are spent only on the programs for which they are intended.
I will continue to use my Senate Finance Committee Chairmanship to search for innovative transportation financing ideas. Congress will look at various financing methods, such as tax credits and tax exempt bonds, that can be used to supplement fuel tax receipts to pay for highway, aviation, and transit projects.
Leading the Charge to Encourage Biofuel Technologies
Biofuels are an exciting energy source for Montanans. Montana can play an important role in a national energy portfolio through biofuel and cellulosic ethanol production using switchgrass, camelina, forest products, and agricultural byproducts. Clean, renewable, domestic fuel products will lessen our current dependence on foreign fossil fuels, and will put money in the pockets of farmers and ranchers.
As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I am looking forward to leading the charge to encourage biofuel technology development and implementation. Tax incentives and financing assistance, in part, will help spur that development and work to ensure that Montanans both have a role to play and can benefit from the growing biofuel industry.
Keeping Fuel Prices Affordable
The rising price of fuel is hurting Montana families. The answer to the current price spike lies in increasing our national energy supply. Research, development, and the implementation of refining technology are under way for a wide variety of cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and coal-to-liquid fuel technologies. These technologies will all put to use resources that Montana has in abundance, and they will allow the Treasure State to live up to its name and play an important role in the national energy portfolio.
In the short term, incentives must be put in place for conservation and for energy efficiency. Both as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, I have worked on and will continue to emphasize the importance of those points in writing tax incentives for hybrid vehicles, green building, and high energy-efficiency standards.
Improving Access to Clean Coal Technology
The U.S. has the largest recoverable coal reserves in the world—275 billion tons—and Montana holds over 119 billion tons alone. Weaning the U.S. off its addiction to oil will depend on developing a number of our natural and renewable resources. Coal liquefaction is one of the most promising avenues. Full development of the U.S. coal-to-fuels industry could replace imported oil with low emissions diesel made from Montana coal. That is why I have authored and successfully passed tax credits and loan guarantees for coal-to-liquids plants and coal-fired power plants that use the most cutting edge technology to significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other emissions that contribute to global warming.
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