Introduction
A legislator’s success in securing transportation projects and funds from the federal government is shaped by the rules of Congress, the U.S. Constitution, and the institutional position(s) held by each member. This has been brought out clearly in the book ‘‘All Roads Lead to Congress’’ which is described as a saying that can be used to refer to the road of decision making. The reason why many people can refer to this maxim as having this meaning is that, for decisions to be made meetings must be held. No perfect decision can be made without a decision or consultation with other people (Costas & Schank 4). For instance, in the United States, there has been an introduction of transportation bills which needs to undergo through all the necessary stages of the congress before its shown the light of the day (implemented). The bill is supposed to maneuver through the stages as it’s amended on the way till the time a conclusion is reached for its implementation. All Roads lead to congress helps students to be driven through various pieces of legislation before a bill becomes a law.
All Roads Lead to the Congress
‘‘All Roads Lead to Congress’’ is an editorial that drives most students through one part of legislation for the surface transportation bill demonstrating to them the manipulation as well as a negotiation that is undertaken amongst the members of Congress together with their staffers or senior support staff, the way they bargain over a vast amount of cash (Costas & Schank 2). The bill offers a good example for either side of the domestic legislative coin, seeing the way members of Congress formulate the bill in addition to their fighting for policy matters; more often than not alongside party lines (republican and democrat) as well as for money; generally down the regional lines.
The authors of this book, which is Costas Panagopoulos and Joshua Schank, followed the path of legislation from inception to law during the time they were working at Hill, watching firsthand the twists as well as turns of the Congress for its legislation expedition. ‘‘All Roads’’ is definite toward explaining the diverse rules with the purpose of structuring legislation, it is the leadership approaches and policies at play, that indicate tensions amongst levels of government, in addition to the effect of the executive. This fascinating case study helps students to have a better understanding of Congress activities as well as the Hill life for those wishing to have a Career at the Hill.
Congress is always said to possess implied powers that are granted to it through the constitution. It takes control of financial as well as budgetary issues of the country together with those of the house. Costas and Schank (4) assert that the constitution has granted Congress powers to impose taxes on various products (goods and services), undertake the payment of debts as well as safeguarding the fundamental rights of the United States. On the other hand, Congress is the key decision-making organ in the country.
SAFETEA-LU
The members of the congress who had the extra influence on the SAFETEA-LU included the policymakers on the transportation bill where the United States Transportation Secretary, the chairman in charge of the Transportation panel from the House of Commons and a panel from the Department of Transportation as well as the congress members elected. It was on August 10, 2005, when President Bush assented into law the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU). This was meant as a heritage basically for users, identified as SAFETEA-LU (Costas & Schank 207). The Federal Surface Transportation Program is revised after several years in the course of multiyear endorsement Acts, for example, TEA-21 (1998-2004) and now the current SAFETEA-LU (2005-2009). SAFETEA-LU has been ranked the biggest surface transportation venture in the history of the United States of America, adding up to $244.1 billion. It permits federal surface transportation agendas for highways, bridges, community trails, improvements, highway security, in addition to transportation for the 5-year phase, which is 2005-2009. On the other hand, the Act considerably boosts the funding for several programs pertinent on the road to Federal Land Management Agencies.
Costas and Schank (209) argue that the prospective for affiliations is enormous. Though, workers might experience some complexity in positioning the exact information they may require for the reason of the size as well as intricacy of the plan. The Forest Service (FS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) along with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have mutually developed some of the guidance videos to demonstrate how a variety of programs are certified inside SAFETEA-LU and how its posed to help public lands plus their adjacent communities ( Midgley & Livermore 531). The authority has called upon the state’s famous subject matter professionals to lend a hand in sorting out a range of programs in the Federal Surface Transportation Program as well as present the definite information which fits the toil being completed within the field.
The Federal transportation guidelines are a dominant determinant of local as well as regional incorporations of land throughout the highway, travel and other transport-related activities. Midgley and Livermore (532) denote that it was during the year 1999 that the Fannie Mae groundwork survey positioned the Interstate Highway scheme towards the strongest manipulation in determining metropolitan expansion models in the precedent years. Transportation in addition has a significant effect on Americans’ superiority of life, starting from the right of entry to employment on the way to environmental class.
Federal Transportation Law: SAFETEA-LU
It was in 1991, where Congress approved the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), this finished the center of attention of Federal Transportation Policy scheduled towards building the Interstate Highway arrangement, furthermore completed the likelihood for people to make use of the federal transportation funds lying on a wider series of transportation ventures. Costas (207) denotes that this provided the communities with the control towards improving the value of life by permitting additional transportation options. It was in 1998, that the federal government approved Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), to create efficiency in the transport sector, which had replaced ISTEA, and was afterward substituted by SAFETEA-LU in 2005. SAFETEA-LU is the current Act that guides the Federal transportation policy. It has been accredited to be famous for its reputable quantity of earmarks, comprising the Bridge to Nowhere. The Federal Transportation Bill has been placed into consideration for reauthorization this year since the process has by now started.
Transportation systems in America
The transportation system in America tends to be an extensive alliance, comprising of individuals, organizations, community officials, regime agencies as well as industries from corner to corner of the nation. The alliance has joined hands to convey the latest advance toward transportation which serves its people better in addition to their communities (Midgley & Livermore 523). The partnership has been worried that the imperative concerns of their time are generating a pressing requirement for a nationwide conversation concerning their country’s expectations on transport-this led to the formation of SAFETEA-LU Act. The center of attention of the Act has been to create a more rapid arrangement linking the transportation ventures along with an assortment of concerns towering on the community agenda, which incorporates climate changes, energy safety, trade and industry competitiveness, housing as well as society improvements. This is geared towards enhancing sustainability in addition to the quality of life for all.
The transportation bill was initiated by Dawn Levy, who was a higher-ranked aid to the senator of Montana-Max Baucus, as well as a senior member of democrat who was also an active member of the senate finance team. She advised the senate on various issues related to the transport sector since this was on her docket, besides having all-embracing experience and repute. Levy had to influence Baucus’s opinion on the transportation bill since she was his advisor hence a force to be considered.
The Future transportation policy
This year it’s anticipated to be a defining moment year meant for transportation policy, possibly the most renovative in the decade, since major resolutions have to be reached at to strategies for the successor policy of replacing SAFETEA-LU. Decisions relating to the stage of financial support should be made available to reconstruct the aging plus worsening transport systems and facilities, decisions on the kind of financing devices resolve to carry out the job, in addition to staying sustainable and dependable. Others include the decisions on the level of the agenda magnitude; blend and composition should appear like and lastly on the decisions on the responsibility of transportation at some stage in climate change course of action as well as environmental safeguard along with the federal government and states responsibilities undertaken (Costas & Schank 187).
The deliberations regarding these decisions resolve to be taken in times of complication and challenges. Since these are times of unique federal budget deficits as well as tackling an economic crisis that has never been seen in for a long time. It has been observed that the transportation revenues decline rapidly because of the current economic downturn yet the SEFETEA-LU is expected to come to the end till further amendments are done, more so the recent transport revenues have ended up being a deficit in sustaining the industry. The highway trust finances have remained on the edge of insolvency. This has resulted in a broad consensus that presents federal transportation policy demands for innovative direction in addition to other major reforms. Another vital contemplation that has been put in place is the positioning of a financial stimulus package to inject a substantial federal venture into infrastructure, comprising of surface transportation in a few months earlier than the endorsement discussion begins. It’s still unclear what exactly the effect of the stimulus legislation will tend to have on the forthcoming agreement debate.
The way legislative process and/or the United States Constitution empower these members
Under the United States constitution 9article one), Congress is given the authority of rewriting as well as passing the laws. The same constitution established the two key legislative chambers, namely, the House of Representatives and the senate. Both chambers should have a consensus on every wording in a bill before the president assents it to become a law (Costas & Schank 159). Although the constitution rarely gives the president a straight responsibility but allows him to advise the congress, as well as the veto powers for any bills brought to him, although the congress can supersede a veto power where the proponents could gather two-third of the votes from every chamber.
Costas and Schank (3) assert that besides all the happenings, Congress still upholds the devices of fashioning the legislation as it’s moved through various levels of enactment. A bill may be introduced by the senate for consideration by a relevant chamber; however, both chambers’ regulations instruct that each bill have to be first referred to a standing commission through state jurisdictions concerning the issue at hand being covered in the bill. It’s the sole responsibility of committee heads to choose the bills that will be undertaken by their panels.
Security on U.S. highways has for a long time been a significant state policy concern, for instance ever since the 1960s the Congress has always used inducement grants, intersect sanctions which are thought to threaten the withholding of federal highway funds, as well as diversionary sanctions which are geared towards forcing the states to employ highway funds for security reasons as a way of convincing states in adopting the traffic protection policies (Costas & Schank 34). This is seen as an attempt toward the promotion of community health, Congress has, sometimes, pressed states in the direction of adopting a lower speed restriction, compulsory motorcycle helmet bylaw, tenant safety laws, as well as laws premeditated to discourage messed up driving. The openings that trail the legislative dance tend to be simple and more obvious, although each stage calls for some multifaceted as well as artful footwork.
Transportation wishes for 21st century as declared Congress
The Congress asserted that it was in the state’s interest to safeguard and enhance
- The surface transportation arrangement towards convening the wishes of the U.S intended for the 21st Century
- The existing urban as well as far-reaching distance individual travel and freight transit demands, have exceeded the innovative anticipation and journey demand models are projected to persist changing
- Continued scheduling for ventures in surface transportation since it’s decisive towards making sure that the surface transportation system sufficiently meet up the varying travel expectations of the future
- Among the primary demands that the surface transportation system is supposed to meet on the way to the provisions of a strong along with dynamic nationalized economy are safe, proficient, and dependable
- Special stress ought to be dedicated in the direction of providing a secure and well-organized way in for the kind and magnitude of both commercial as well as military vehicles which have right to use selected National Highway System
- The link connecting the land use along with infrastructure is important
- Transportation needs to take part in a considerable role of sustaining economic growth, developing the environment, as well as supporting the significance of life
- The Secretary in charge of transport has to take suitable actions on the road to safeguard and improve the Interstate System towards meeting the demands of the 21st Century.
Implied powers of the Congress
Congress has implied powers that are obtained from the Necessary as well as the proper clause in the constitution. This authorizes Congress to create laws that are deemed necessary in undertaking the implementation of the preceding powers together with other powers vested to it through the constitution in the government of the U.S. or departments or officers in charge (Costas & Schank 207). The stated powers in Section 8 concerning the implied powers as well as the commerce clause has been efficiently been broadened far compared to the scope enumerated in the section by the legislative authority of Congress.
The checks and balances
The constitution being the supreme organ in the country has continued to give checks and balances with Congress as well as in other sectors of the federal government. This has been made possible since those who drafted the constitution anticipated for the greater powers to be vested in Congress this has been hypothesized as described in Article One of the constitution.
Costas and Schank (207) assert that although the effect of Congress towards the presidency has been wide-ranging from one era to another, with its level of authority depending mostly on the current leadership of the Congress, the president political manipulation in addition to his/her initiatives. Sometimes the president has been seen to have more powers compared to the Congress although this has not been the truth on the ground since the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson-whose tenure made Congress extra powerful compared to the presidency of other regimes. In the present times, Congress has limited the presidency powers through laws like the Congressional Budget Act as well as the War Powers Resolution, nonetheless, the president remains significantly extra powerful as contrasted to those of the 19th century.
Benefit from the power of legislative members to their representatives
The Congress members’ representatives benefit more depending on the policies amended and the laws implemented. For instance, the progressive bill on the transportation system has been of more gain to both the users of the highways in the United States. The private, public, as well as commercial business people, have advanced their trade activities because of the efficient means of transit in the country.
Conclusion
The US has several Congressional as well as Administration officers who are involved in determining the prospect of the federal surface transportation policy. Nevertheless, Congress and the Administration have not been the sole players in this transportation sector. Others within the development have included the States plus the Governors, the mayors, cities officials and counties, members of the public as well as both the public and private agencies among others (Costas & Schank 189). All the mentioned stakeholders have remained to be helpful contributors to the transportation process.
References
Costas Panagopoulos & Joshua Schank, ALL ROADS LEAD TO CONGRESS, Washington DC, CQ press, 2008.
James Midgley & Michelle Livermore, The Handbook of Social Policy, Los Angeles Sage, 2008:531.