{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=b7804c0b-f9bd-4106-a061-0360e67852ea", "Lee, Graves, Rubio Introduce Major Highway Funding Reform Bill", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Mike Lee", "L000577", "www.lee.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Transportation Empowerment Act, a bill to open up America\u2019s transportation system to greater local control, better targeted projects, and a more efficient way to maintain and improve the nation\u2019s infrastructure. The bill allows states to respond to the needs of their communities and develop systems that result in less traffic, shorter commutes, more affordable homes, and help families better manage the work-life balance.\r\n\"Under the Transportation Empowerment Act, Americans would no longer have to send significant gas-tax revenue to Washington, where sticky-fingered politicians, bureaucrats, and lobbyists take their cut before sending it back with strings attached,\u201d said Sen. Lee. \"Instead, states and cities could plan, finance, and build better-designed and more affordable projects. Local communities should finally have the flexibility to develop the kind of transportation system they want, for less money, without politicians and special interests from other parts of the country telling them how, when, what, and where they should build. For the country as a whole, our plan would mean a better infrastructure system, new jobs and opportunities, diverse localism, and innovative environmental protection. And for working families, it could mean more access to quality, affordable homes, less time on the road \u2013 and making it home in time for dinner with the kids.\u201d\r\n\u201cPeople want to spend less time in traffic and more time enjoying life,\u201d said Rep. Graves, who is introducing the TEA Act in the House for the second time. \u201cOur bill will streamline the highway program, allowing more projects to be completed at a lower cost. This means commuters can move more easily between home and work, freeing up important family time and cutting out hours of frustration behind the wheel.\u201d\r\n\u201cWe must empower states to develop the transportation systems they need and remove roadblocks created by Washington, which is why I have joined Senator Lee in introducing this legislation,\u201d said Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). \u201cDonor states like Florida should be getting a better return on our investment, and the Transportation Empowerment Act will do just that.\u201d\r\nThe House version sponsored by Rep. Graves currently has 19 cosponsors.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\r\nLegislation details:\r\nTransportation Empowerment Act\r\nHow it Works\r\n \r\nTransfers almost all authority over federal highway and transit programs to the states over a five-year period.\r\nLowers the federal gas tax to 3.7 cents from 18.4 cents over the same time period.\r\nDuring the five-year phase out, states will receive block grants that come with vastly fewer federal strings attached.\r\n \r\nWhat It Does\r\n \r\nImmediately reduces the bureaucratic burden involved in the construction of critical transportation projects.\r\nResults in a faster administrative response to the transportation problems Americans face, such as traffic, commuting, and access.\r\nGives states greater flexibility in their tax structure.\r\nConnects where people want to work with where they want to live.\r\nOpens opportunities to develop new mass-transit solutions, innovate environmental protections, and improve the financing of projects.\r\nCreates jobs and grows the economy.\r\n \r\nWhy The Current System Hurts The Commute\r\n \r\nWhen the costs of federal red tape and Highway Trust Fund redistribution are taken into account, 37 states, including Georgia and Utah, have a rate of return below 100%.\u00a0 For example, Georgia\u2019s estimated buying power in Fiscal Year 2014 is anticipated to be approximately 84% based on the most recent Highway Trust Fund payment information available, costing Georgia taxpayers $185 million.\r\nFor Fiscal Year 2014, $820 million was authorized nationwide for so-called \u201ctransportation alternatives\u201d described by the Federal Highway Administration as \u201clandscaping and scenic enhancement\u201d and \u201crecreational enhancement,\u201d among others.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=b7804c0b-f9bd-4106-a061-0360e67852ea"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8189741056412458, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}