Rep. Corrine Brown: “the time is right for funding equity. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support funding equity when the House…”

“the time is right for funding equity. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support funding equity when the House considers the ISTEA reauthorization bill. According to a GAO report, the current funding formula used to distribute billions of transportation funds is flawed. My State of Florida is a perfect example of what is wrong with the formula. Florida is the fourth most populated State, third in the number of automobiles on the road, third in the number of automobiles miles traveled, third in the amount of money that our citizens contribute to the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Yet, Florida's average return on each dollar has been 79 cents since 1956, 45th in the Nation. Under the fourth year of ISTEA, Florida will drop to 77 cents for every dollar, 46th in the Nation. The ISTEA reauthorization bill must include a formula that is based on current reasonable and appropriate factors.”