[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 62 (Monday, May 3, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S4605]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

             By Mr. HOLLINGS (for himself and Mr. McCain):

  S. 947. A bill to amend federal law regarding the tolling of the 
Interstate Highway System; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works.


                  interstate tolls relief act of 1999

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise to bring to your attention an 
issue of great national concern. We all remember the great debate that 
this chamber had last year during reauthorization of the federal 
highway bill, TEA-21. We all negotiated to get more funds for our 
states because we know that more investment in our highways means 
better, safer, and more efficient transportation for those who rely on 
roads for making deliveries, going to work or school, or just doing the 
grocery shopping. Transportation is the lynchpin for economic 
development, and those states that have good, efficient transportation 
systems attract business development, ultimately raising standards of 
living. However, I think that we may have gone too far in authorizing 
states additional means to raise revenue for highway improvements. 
These means to raise revenue are not productive and hurt our system of 
transportation.

  Specifically, I am concerned that states have too much flexibility to 
establish tolls on our Interstate highway system. For many states, the 
large increases in TEA-21 funding have satisfied the need to invest in 
infrastructure. Other states have found that they need to raise more 
money, and so they have raised their state fuel taxes or taken other 
actions to raise the needed revenue. These increases may be difficult 
to implement politically, because frankly most people don't support any 
tax increase. However, I believe that highway tolls are a non-
productive and overly intrusive means of raising revenue causing more 
harm to commerce than can be justified.
  Congress, mistakenly in my opinion, increased the authority of states 
to put tolls on their Interstate highways in TEA-21. I am introducing 
the Interstate Tolls Relief Act of 1999 to restrict Interstate toll 
authority. The debate over highway tolls goes back to the genesis of 
our Republic, and contributed to our movement away from the Articles of 
Confederation to a more uniform system of governance under the U.S. 
Constitution. Toll roads were the bane of commerce, in the early years 
of the Republic, as each state would attempt to toll the interstate 
traveling public to finance state public improvements. Ultimately, 
frustration with delay and uneven costs helped contribute to the 
adoption of Commerce Clause powers to help facilitate interstate and 
foreign trade. Those same concerns hold true today, and I think that we 
in Congress must take a national perspective and promote interstate 
commerce.
  I think that if one were to ask the citizens of the United States 
about tolls, they would ultimately conclude that Interstate tolls would 
reduce the efficiency of our Interstate highways, increase shipping 
costs, and make interstate travel more expensive and less convenient. 
Not to mention the safety problems associated with erecting toll booths 
and operating them to collect revenues.
  Now, I recognize that tolls under certain circumstances may be a good 
idea, and my bill does not prevent states from tolling non-Interstate 
highways. My bill also does not affect tolls on highways where they are 
already in use, and states will continue to be able to rely on existing 
tolls for revenues. Furthermore, my bill recognizes that when funds 
must be found for a major Interstate bridge or tunnel project, states 
may have no other option but to use tolls to finance the project. They 
may continue to do so under my bill. I believe this is consistent with 
the original intent of authority granted for Interstate tolls. What my 
bill does is to prevent the proliferation of Interstate tolls, and 
restrict tolling authority for major bridges and tunnels.
  Mr. President, this bill is essential if we are to continue to have 
an Interstate Highway System that is safe and facilitates the efficient 
movement of Interstate commerce and personal travel. I urge the support 
of my colleagues.
  I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 947

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Interstate Tolls Relief Act 
     of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. INTERSTATE SYSTEM RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION 
                   PILOT PROGRAM REPEALED.

       Section 1215(b) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 
     21st Century (112 Stat. 212-214) is repealed.

     SEC. 3. TOLLS ON BRIDGES AND TUNNELS.

       Section 129(a)(1)(C) of title 23, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``toll-free bridge or tunnel,'' and 
     inserting ``toll-free major bridge or tunnel. For purposes of 
     this section, a `major bridge' is one that has a deck area 
     which exceeds 125,000 square feet.''.

     SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON USE OF TOLL REVENUES.

       Section 129(a)(3) of title 23, United States Code, is 
     amended by--
       (1) striking ``first'' in the first sentence and inserting 
     ``only''; and
       (2) striking ``If the State certifies annually that the 
     tolled facility is being adequately maintained, the State may 
     use any toll revenues in excess of amounts required under the 
     preceding sentence for any purpose for which Federal funds 
     may be obligated by a State under this title.''.

                          ____________________