Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) today rejected a proposal by House GOP leadership that would extend current transportation policy another year by putting an end to most Saturday mail delivery services.

“I am very disappointed by this unworkable proposal that doesn’t solve the problems with either the Highway Trust Fund or the Postal Service, and will just kick the can down the road,” said Congresswoman Kuster.  “For months I have been urging Congress to address the funding issues with the Highway Trust Fund, and I offered my own plan, the DRIVE Now Act, as a responsible way forward.  The proposal offered by Republican Leadership is unrealistic and will not save American jobs or support continued investment in our infrastructure.”

The proposal in question would extend current surface transportation policy, which will expire at the end of September, until May 2015 and provide $12 billion to maintain the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund through this period.  Unfortunately, the extension and payment would be accomplished by ending the Postal Service’s Saturday delivery of all mail except express and priority packages. 

Postal service delivery is not paid for by the federal government, so this proposal would not save taxpayers money.  Although Congresswoman Kuster does believe that commonsense reform is needed to address the U.S. Postal Service’s deficit, she does not endorse swapping Postal Service standards for infrastructure funding – which could put postal workers’ jobs at risk.  Congress needs to enact legislative reform that will maintain six-day delivery, protect postal jobs, and remove the unique and massive burden of prefunding future postal retiree health care benefits.  Kuster believes transportation funding must be addressed separately, which is why she introduced a bill to save the Highway Trust Fund that is fully paid for by reasonable measures supported by members from both sides of the aisle.

Last month, Congresswoman Kuster introduced H.R. 4601, the DRIVE Now Act, which would ensure that the Highway Trust Fund remains solvent for the remainder of the fiscal year, through September 30, 2014.  This would provide certainty to state and local governments and the many businesses that rely on this funding to create and sustain jobs.  While this payment wouldn’t fix the ongoing Trust Fund funding issues, it would allow time for Congress to pass a full six-year reauthorization of the Highway Trust Fund and other surface transportation programs.

At the same time, Kuster’s bill would reduce the deficit by taking common sense steps to eliminate a costly and duplicative catfish inspection program, consolidate federal data centers, and force agencies to close long-empty bank accounts.  These combined actions would reduce spending by more than $10 billion, offsetting the $5 billion payment for the Highway Trust Fund, and further reducing the nation’s deficit.

Congresswoman Annie Kuster is a strong proponent of fixing our state’s roads and bridges in order to protect the safety of Granite State residents, ease congestion, and create construction jobs for our workers.  Prior to introducing her DRIVE Now Act, Kuster called on House Leadership to work together to provide additional funding for the Highway Trust Fund.  She has also toured the I-93 construction project in Windham and the Route 10 bridge replacement project in Winchester, two crucial construction projects that could come to a halt without passage of the DRIVE Now Act or other responsible legislation to save the Highway Trust Fund. 

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