Insights - March/April 2017 - 32

GOVERNMENT NEWS
Progress Seen, More Work
Ahead on Infrastructure,
Spending Plans
The early days of spring brought a
handful of progress on the executive
and congressional fronts to address
infrastructure and regulatory issues that
affect intermodal operators, but a far
larger body of work still needs to be done
in Washington.
On the executive side, President
Trump said in a Feb. 28 Congressional
address that a "new program of national
rebuilding" was needed and called for
legislation to spend $1 trillion to fund
those projects. President Trump observed
that the U.S. has not had a "truly great
national infrastructure program" in nearly
60 years.
Secretary of Transportation Elaine
Chao one day later laid out several
priorities related to infrastructure,
including an accent on targeted publicprivate partnerships. Chao made four

key points related to regulatory reform,
partnerships and other subjects. "Our
country can no longer afford to take
decades to build a new bridge, highway
or airport," she said. "Are there processes
that could be streamlined?" In line with
the administration's pledge to eliminate
federal rules at all agencies, she said
DOT "will likely revisit a number of
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streamline project delivery, and reduce
unnecessary administrative burdens. Let
me assure you, however, that safety will
continue to be a priority."

Removal of Barriers
Regarding partnerships, she
advocated removal of "barriers that
hamper our ability to tap into the full
potential" from trillions of dollars in
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funds and endowments.
The agency also will also review
discretionary grants to "direct resources
at critical infrastructure that is both

"Our country can no
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decades to build a new
bridge, highway or
airport"
- Elaine Chao, U.S. Secretary of
Transportation
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of repair."
On Capitol Hill, trade groups as well
CUUVCVGCPFNQECNVTCPURQTVCVKQPQHƒcials made their case for infrastructure
improvements during multiple hearings,
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indications how much funding could
be secured or
when it would
become available.
Sen.
Susan Collins
(R-Maine),
who heads
the Surface
Transportation
Subcommittee,
Collins
noted on March
8 that there is a clear need for robust
infrastructure investment, but much
work must be done to identify how to
pay for it.
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AASHTO, are seeking a predictable
funding flow and greater discretion in
how federal funds supplied to them are
spent, and urged the continued flow of
federal funding without undue reliance
on public/private partnerships.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
wants a focus on long-term growth
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quickly. The chamber supports multiple
funding options, including partnerships
and a dependable funding source for
the depleted Highway Trust Fund.

Restart Restrictions Lifted
On the regulatory side, intermodal
operators in the trucking sector have
been awaiting DOT's review of the

32 Intermodal Insights | March/April 2017
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