BOND SAYS HE'LL BACK HOUSE BILL

U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond said Tuesday he will endorse a House-passed version of a new federal highway bill and will try to build support for the measure in the Senate.

"It is clear to me the House proposal is much better than what we got out of the Senate, even though we got considerably more funding than we are getting now in the Senate bill," Bond said in a conference call with about a dozen newspaper reporters from around the state.

On Monday, Bond, R-Missouri, met with Missouri Chief Highway Engineer Wayne Muri, business leaders, and representatives of the Missouri Transportation Alliance. Based upon what he said he learned at the meeting, Bond said, "Today I am beginning the fight for quick approval of the House bill that gives Missouri its fair share of highway funding."

He said Missouri Department of Economic Development figures showed that highway spending at the House level will produce more than $4 billion in spin-off economic impact in Missouri in addition to $2.7 billion in direct federal funding over the next six years.

The Senate passed a bill June 19 that would increase Missouri's annual federal road-and-bridge funds from $275 million to $429 million over the next five years.

The House version, which passed last week, would increase the state's annual funding even more, to $452 million annually. The House version covers six years.

Bond said he voted against the Senate version because it did not change the formula enough to help the so-called donor states like Missouri, which are paying more in federal gasoline taxes than they are receiving.

Differences between the two versions will be worked out in a conference committee of senators and representatives.

Bond also has been sharply critical of the House for failing to pass a bill prior to the Sept. 30 expiration of the present highway bill.

He expressed concern that further delay by Congress will severely damage Missouri's economy. Bond said the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department has no 1992 federal funds and has postponed 27 future road and bridge construction projects around the state, affecting thousands of jobs.

"With all the talk in Washington about major issues, the most important thing Congress ought to do is deal with the highway bill," said Bond.

Bond said he is joining with senators in other donor states to urge congressional leaders to appoint a conference committee promptly. They are also asking that at least one member from each house be from a donor state, he said.

The House-passed bill extends the 2.5-cent gas-tax increase for the Highway Trust Fund, passed as part of the deficit reduction agreement last fall, to 1999.

Bond said the appointment of a conference committee is being held up in the Senate while a decision is made on whether to refer the highway bill to the Finance Committee because of the tax extension. "This is another gridlock we don't need at this time holding us up," said Bond.

That effort to extend the tax and the inclusion of funds for demonstration projects have drawn veto threats from President Bush.

Bond said extending the tax is "an item of concern" and suggested it needed to be worked out with the Department of Transportation. "We don't need another veto holding us up," he said. "I would hope the Department of Transportation would be more involved in this. They have taken too much of a hands-off position on this bill and have not shown a sense of urgency."

Bond said he had no problem extending the tax as long as it went for highways, but it is a potential stumbling block in the conference committee and with the administration.

"If there is going to be a veto, I would hope they (conference committee) would take it (tax) out so we could get the measure passed," said Bond.

The bill passed the House 343-83. That likely would provide enough of a cushion to insure the two-thirds vote needed to override a veto.

Bond did not answer a question on the chances of the Senate voting to override a veto of the highway bill. But he did indicate a preference for leaving the gas tax out if it would delay passage of a final bill.

The senator said he had no problems with the demonstration projects included in the bill. He explained that most of the projects already have been identified as priorities by state highway departments.

Bond stressed the importance of getting Transportation Secretary Samuel Skinner involved in the process. "We need some leadership in the administration on this, and frankly, we haven't gotten it."

Asked about a timeframe for passing the bill, Bond said, "It will be very controversial in the conference committee; we'll be lucky to have it passed by Thanksgiving."

Harriett Beard of Kirksville, representing the Missouri Highway Corridor Coalition, who joined in the call with Bond, agreed with the senator that an increase in federal funding could result in a need for Missouri to increase its gas tax in order to provide matching funds.

But Beard said it was premature to suggest what the increase might be, when it might be proposed, or even if one would be necessary. She pointed out that the present House bill provides for a 20 percent match of federal funds on projects; however, another version called for 30 percent.

"We will follow through with whatever needs to be done," said Beard, who promised her organization would work with other groups in urging Congress to act. "Everything seems to be so dependent on what we can influence the federal legislature to do," said Beard.

When a bill is passed, Beard said her organization and probably other highway groups would ask the state highway commission what level of gas tax it needs, and then work for passage.

Beard said she liked the increased flexibility in the proposed highway bill, and it would be a big boost to rural areas and help stimulate economic development.