Nov. 2013: Letter to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) expressing support for FY 2014 budget resolution that fully funds MAP-21 and the Airport Improvement Program, and advocating a long-term solution for the Highway Trust Fund.

1. November 12, 2013
We’re Building A
Better America!
The Honorable Patty Murray
Chairman
Senate Budget Committee
624 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Paul Ryan
Chairman
House Budget Committee
207 Canon House Office
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairmen Murray and Ryan:
American Road &
Transportation Builders
Association (co-chair) 
Associated General Contractors
of America (co-chair) 
American Coal Ash Association
 American Concrete Pavement
Association  American
Concrete Pipe Association 
American Council of
Engineering Companies 
American Iron & Steel Institute
 American Society of Civil
Engineers  American
Subcontractors Association 
American Traffic Safety
Services Association  Asphalt
Emulsion Manufacturers
Association  Asphalt Recycling
& Reclaiming Association 
Associated Equipment
Distributors  Association of
Equipment Manufacturers 
International Slurry Surfacing
Association  International
Association of Bridge,
Structural, Ornamental and
Reinforcing Iron Workers 
International Union of Operating
Engineers  LaborersEmployers Cooperation and
Education Trust  Laborers’
International Union of North
America  National Asphalt
Pavement Association 
National Association of Surety
Bond Producers  National
Lime Association  National
Ready Mixed Concrete
Association  National Stone,
Sand and Gravel Association 
 National Utility Contractors
Association  Portland Cement
Association
Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute  The Road
Information Program  United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners of America
For More Information:
202/289-4434 (ARTBA)
202/547-4733 (AGC)
As you proceed with negotiations on an FY 2014 budget resolution, the 29
national associations and construction trade unions of the Transportation
Construction Coalition want to highlight the importance of federal transportation
investment to growing the U.S. economy and creating jobs. The budget process
underway provides a host of opportunities to enable needed investment to
maintain and upgrade the nation’s critical transportation infrastructure network.
The linkage between U.S. economic competitiveness and the performance of the
nation’s transportation infrastructure network is undeniable. More than 70.9
million American jobs in just tourism, manufacturing, transportation and
warehousing, agriculture and forestry, general construction, mining, retailing and
wholesaling alone are dependent on the nation’s transportation system. The U.S.
transportation infrastructure network also makes possible the shipment each year
of over 16.4 billion tons of goods and materials between American companies or
companies and their customers.
The 2012 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) surface
transportation reauthorization law provides sufficient Highway Trust Fund
resources to support preserving highway and public transportation investment
levels in FY 2013 and 2014. We greatly appreciate the House and Senate FY
2014 budget resolutions and Transportation Housing and Urban Development
Appropriations bills largely adhering to MAP-21’s authorized $40.3 billion
highway obligation limitation and $10.7 billion for public transportation. As
such, we urge that any final FY 2014 budget agreement at least comport with the
commitments already made in MAP-21 and the FY 2014 budget and
appropriations process regarding federal highway and public transportation
investment.
Similarly, a final FY 2014 budget resolution should assume a minimum Airport
Improvement Program investment of $3.35 billion as authorized by the FAA
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.

2. We’re Building A
Better America!
While fulfilling federal transportation investment commitments for FY 2014 is of
critical importance, members of Congress must also recognize the Highway Trust
Fund will be unable to support new investments in FY 2015. The simple fact is
the fund’s revenue base has not been adjusted in 20 years. As a result, the trust
fund had faced four separate insolvency threats since 2008—with the fifth looming
in 11 months. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Highway Trust
Fund requires on average $15 billion per year over the next 10 years in new
revenues (or resources from elsewhere in the federal budget) to maintain existing
highway and public transportation investment levels.
The Highway Trust Fund’s revenue challenges and their resulting consequences on
the federal budget demonstrate that a long-term solution to stabilize and grow
federal surface transportation investment should be part of any comprehensive
budget discussions. The House and Senate budget committees have done an
effective job in recent years in documenting the need for action to address the trust
fund’s revenue outlook. We urge you to continue highlighting this challenge and
include instructions in any FY 2014 budget agreement calling on the congressional
tax and authorizing committees to develop legislation to address the Highway
Trust Fund’s perpetual revenue shortfall.
Increasing federal transportation investment in a long-term, sustainable manner
would achieve many of the economic and fiscal objectives of both parties.
Achieving these goals should be a key component of the FY 2014 budget
conference.
Sincerely,
The Transportation Construction Coalition
Cc: 2013 Budget Conference Committee Members
For More Information:
202/289-4434 (ARTBA)
202/547-4733 (AGC)