Venable partner and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Jim Burnley discussed federal transportation issues in a March 19, 2014 American City & County Q&A. Burnley discussed challenges facing the Obama Administration and Republicans in Congress, the $302 billion infrastructure funding package proposed by the Obama Administration, possible changes to federal funding programs, and the key players in the process going forward.
When asked about some possible changes to federal transportation programs and policies, Burnley said, “There are other ideas for reforming, on a long-term basis, the federal role in financing transportation infrastructure. For example, HR 2084, the Partnership to Build America Act, would use the repatriation of offshore profits to finance an American Infrastructure Fund, which would guarantee state and local bonds, and do some direct lending…At some point in the debate, Congress may turn to this device or some other version of an infrastructure bank to plug, at least partially, the ever larger hole in federal support. Congress is also likely to remove federal impediments to state and local use of public private partnerships.”
When asked about some possible changes to federal transportation programs and policies, Burnley said, “There are other ideas for reforming, on a long-term basis, the federal role in financing transportation infrastructure. For example, HR 2084, the Partnership to Build America Act, would use the repatriation of offshore profits to finance an American Infrastructure Fund, which would guarantee state and local bonds, and do some direct lending…At some point in the debate, Congress may turn to this device or some other version of an infrastructure bank to plug, at least partially, the ever larger hole in federal support. Congress is also likely to remove federal impediments to state and local use of public private partnerships.”