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May 27, 2005
WASHINGTON DIGEST U.S. Senate passes long delayed major roads bill
By STEVE TETREAULT Senators disregarded a presidential veto threat in voting 89-11 for the bill. The Bush administration said it cost $11 billion more than what was acceptable to the president. The legislation distributes money among the states through complicated formulas. A small amount was earmarked for specific state projects. The bill enjoyed broad support from senators who said it would allow states to plan road construction with some certainty after the legislation was delayed repeatedly from the last Congress. A handful of critics complained that bill shortchanges states that contribute more in gasoline and road use taxes than they get back in federal aid. A conference committee will iron out differences between the Senate bill and a $284 billion version passed by the House earlier this year. The House bill also contains thousands of earmarks. Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., voted for the bill. Tough seatbelt laws urged Before final passage, senators voted to push states to enact the toughest seatbelt laws. Sens. George Allen, R-Va., and John Ensign, R-Nev., proposed an amendment that would have made states eligible for a $500 million safety grant program even if they are not the strictest on seatbelts. Twenty-one states have enacted "primary" seatbelt laws that allow troopers to stop motorists for not wearing seatbelts. In other states vehicle occupants can be ticketed for seatbelts if they are stopped for other reasons. Allen said it was not the federal government's business if a state chooses not to pass a primary seatbelt law. His amendment would have qualified states for the grants based on their levels of seatbelt use whether or not they have passed the toughest laws. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said 1,200 people die each year after not wearing seatbelts. He said the government's goal should be to encourage states to pass the safest traffic laws. The Allen amendment was defeated, 14-86. Ensign voted for it while Reid voted against it. Wild horse sales criticized The House voted to stop selling wild horses captured from public lands after 41 horses were resold to a slaughterhouse last month. Lawmakers voted 249-159 to end a two-month old sales program despite promises by the Bureau of Land Management to enforce tough penalties against buyers. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said the sales eroded long-standing federal protections for the animals. Officials estimate there are 31,760 wild horses and burros in western states, about half of them in Nevada. Opponents said despite the destruction of 41 horses, the BLM has sold almost 2,000 animals to safe homes. They said new protections the BLM was putting in place will put an end to wild horse slaughters. Reps. Jon Porter and Jim Gibbons, both R-Nev., voted for the wild horse sales. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., voted to stop them. |
