LF: Sen. Paul Introduces Amendments to Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Bill

Title: Sen. Paul Introduces Amendments to Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Bill
Source: paul.senate.gov
URL Source: http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=900
Published: Jul 24, 2013
Author: paul.senate.gov
Post Date: 2013-07-25 16:00:21 by We The People
Keywords: None
Views: 242

Amendments include repealing Davis-Bacon, redirecting foreign aid, implementing the REINS Act, establishing an emergency transportation fund

Jul 24, 2013

Sen. Rand Paul has introduced the following amendments to the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, S.1243. The amendments include redirecting current U.S. aid to Egypt to domestic infrastructure projects, repealing Davis-Bacon, establishing an Emergency Transportation Safety Fund, and other cost-saving initiatives.

"It is no secret that our nation's roads and bridges are crumbling at an increasing rate, many of which are in critical stages of disrepair. Instead of sending taxpayer money to countries that are ineligible to receive our aid, like Egypt, we should be directing that money to these pressing domestic needs. There are ways to fix our infrastructure needs without increasing our national debt or raising taxes, and my amendments to the T-HUD bill do just that," Sen. Paul said.

Below is a list of Sen. Paul's amendments with summaries.

· Amendment No. 1739: Eliminates military foreign assistance to Egypt based upon current law, which the United States is legally prohibited from providing foreign assistance to nations that experience a military coups d'état. Funding directed to Egypt would be redirected to the "Bridges in Critical Corridors" fund in S.1243.

· Amendment No. 1740: Prohibits the application of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws to projects or programs funded by THUD. This will allow for competitive bidding on government projects, which saves money through the negotiation of wages.

· Amendment No. 1741: Establishes the Emergency Transportation Safety Fund. This amendment lowers the tax rate to 5 percent on any repatriated overseas capital held by U.S. companies. Tax revenue on funds held outside the United States and brought back. Revenues will be split between deficit reduction and the new Emergency Transportation Safety Fund. The fund will direct the Secretary of the Transportation to create a list of projects based upon several factors including need, importance to the economy, volume of traffic, etc.

· Amendment No. 1742: Eliminates funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program, which pays for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation; recreational trail program projects; safe routes to school projects; and projects for planning, designing, or constructing boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate System routes or other divided highways, under MAP-21. Funds from this account, around $800 million, would be directed to the "Bridges in Critical Corridors" fund.

· Amendment No. 1743: Institutes the REINS Act (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny), which requires Congressional approval for new major rules or regulations proposed by the Executive Branch, which have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more, before it can be enforced on the American people