ATA Applauds Progress on Highway Authorization

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Jul 07, 2011, 01:06 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves today applauded the release of a highway authorization proposal from Reps. John Mica and John Duncan:

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"ATA appreciates the herculean effort of Chairman Mica and Subcommittee Chairman Duncan to craft a comprehensive 6-year reauthorization proposal in the face of very difficult fiscal realities.

"Like other highway interests, ATA would like to see a more robust bill, but we believe the current funding constraints are forcing an important re-focusing of the surface transportation program on core programs in the national interest, as well as a greater emphasis on improving program efficiency and performance.

"We are very pleased to see the level and type of reforms Chairman Mica lays out, particularly those prohibiting tolling of existing Interstates; maintaining funding for highway safety programs; maintaining a policy of no earmarks; eliminating requirements on States to fund non-highway activities; and consolidating programs.

"We look forward to reviewing the details of the entire bill in the near future, and hope those details address other critical issues like truck productivity and advancing ATA's strong safety agenda."

The American Trucking Associations (www.truckline.com) is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States. Follow ATA on Twitter @TruckingMatters (www.twitter.com/truckingmatters), or become a fan on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/y4qwp6h).

SOURCE American Trucking Associations