HIGHWAY BILL EARNS HOUSE VOTE

WASHINGTON - Projects that will benefit southern Missouri are included in a new six-year, $151 billion federal highway bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday night.

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, who had a hand in drafting the legislation in his role as a member of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, praised the bill because it will help both Southern Missouri and the entire state.

The House version provides about $2.7 billion to Missouri for road and bridge projects during the next six years. By comparison, a highway bill that passed the Senate in June would bring the state $2.1 billion over five years in federal highway funds.

Differences in the bills will be ironed out in a House-Senate conference committee, but Emerson said he was optimistic a final bill will be approved prior to Thanksgiving. Regardless of what the final version looks like, Missouri will likely benefit. During the last five years, the state received almost $1.4 billion in federal highway aid.

After the bill was approved by a margin of 343 to 83, Emerson said, "This bill is fair and equitable. It puts gasoline taxes collected at the pump to work by spending down the Highway Trust Fund. It makes a major change in the funding formula so states like Missouri get a vastly improved return from what they pay into the system through gasoline taxes.

"In addition, it provides funding for major improvements to our road and bridge infrastructure from coast to coast, including vitally important projects in the 8th District."

Emerson said the end result of the bill would be the creation of about 2 million new jobs, including 30,000 in Missouri alone.

In southern Missouri, Emerson said, the bill will go a long way toward improving the infrastructure in a way that will stimulate economic development.

The bill designates Highways 60, 63, 67, and 412 as National Highways of Significance, which will result in their being upgraded over the next few years. The bill also earmarks $25.6 million specifically for the widening of Highway 60 between Sikeston and West Plains.

The measure also lists as a high priority a "Transamerica Corridor" providing a new east-west interstate highway, known as I-66.

Key provisions of the bill call for changing the federal highway funding-formula minimum allocation returned to the states from 85 percent to 90 percent of gasoline taxes paid into the trust fund; spending down the Highway Trust Fund from $11.4 billion in fiscal year 1992 to $2.3 billion in fiscal year 1997; and giving new flexibility to state and local officials in the way they transfer funds for road and bridge projects they consider important.

All members of the Missouri congressional delegation voted for the bill except Mel Hancock, R-Springfield.