Oregon Public Broadcasting

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that reallocates federal funds to address problems with national transportation infrastructure.  As Andrew Theen reports, national leaders had projected a budget shortfall in the billions.

Revenue from the federal gas tax goes into the Highway Trust Fund, but with Americans driving less, there's not as much money to fill the federal coffers.

Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio chairs the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. He says the country already lags behind many third world nations in infrastructure funding.

He cited the thousands of  bridges across the nation deemed "structurally deficient."  DeFazio said the bill "evens up the charts" and prevents the loss of thousands of jobs.

Peter DeFazio: "The money never should have been diverted, the law says money we collect in gas tax can only be spent for transportation purposes, and about $8 billion was diverted off to the general fund off the treasury and spent on who knows what."

The White House is already threatening to veto the bill.  DeFazio said he's leaning on House colleague Rep. Earl Blumenauer and the Ways and Means committee to find a better way to pay for the country's infrastructure needs.