Tim meets with police officers from SD on the Capitol steps in DC

The Transportation Equity Act for the Twenty-First Century (TEA-21) was enacted to provide a guaranteed funding stream for highway, transit, and road safety projects throughout the United States. South Dakota and the nation have greatly benefited from a consistent level of funding, which has resulted in new roads and improvements throughout our state. Because of the great distances we travel in South Dakota, we are extremely dependent on surface transportation for economic development and daily life. Without adequate roads and infrastructure, the economy and residents of South Dakota will suffer.

SAFE-TEA

On July 29, 2005, the Senate approved the conference report to H.R. 3, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005 (SAFE-TEA) by a bipartisan vote of 91 to 4. SAFE-TEA is a five-year transportation authorization bill covering America���s highway, transit, and road safety network. The final bill will provide $286.5 billion in federal funding over the next five years. As a conferee who helped negotiate the final bill, I believe that in many respects, passage of SAFE-TEA is a home-run for South Dakota���s economy.

Investing in South Dakota's Infrastructure

SAFE-TEA will result in tremendous investment in South Dakota���s road infrastructure. Over the next five years, South Dakota will receive a total of $1.3 billion in road building funding, an increase of 30 percent over the previous federal transportation bill. That increase will boost South Dakota���s share of highway funding by approximately $60 million per year over the next five years. Ensuring an equitable rate of return to South Dakota through the federal highway formula is the single most consequential accomplishment secured to our state through this bill.

As a Senate conferee to the conference committee charged in working out differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation, I am glad that South Dakota was afforded such a strong position and favorable outcome in the final version of the bill.

In addition to greatly improving funding for surface transportation, the bill also more than doubles the amount of federal funding directed toward South Dakota���s network of transit providers, increasing funding by a whooping 231 percent over the previous authorization. In rural areas of our state, a reliable transit system is a crucial link connecting people to their doctors, family, and jobs.

The South Dakota congressional delegation, working collaboratively, was also able to secure a total of $250 million in additional funding for High Priority Projects. These funds are in addition to the five-year $1.3 billion total. These specific infrastructure projects are located throughout all corners of South Dakota, from completion of the Heartland Expressway in western South Dakota, to expansion of road and rail projects in Sioux Falls. These projects are vital to our state���s economy and future economic development. Furthermore, more than three-dozen earmarks secured for South Dakota projects will allow the South Dakota Department of Transportation to complete road projects on budget and ahead of schedule.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight for South Dakota���s interests and ensure that our state retains the investments in public infrastructure necessary to compete for jobs and businesses in the 21st Century.