Richmond, Virginia (September 26, 2006) -- The Appropriations Committee of the Virginia House of Delegates today approved a $2.4 billion transportation funding plan promoted by the majority House Republican Caucus. The eight-bill legislative package is more than double the $1.2 billion transportation funding plan supported by House Republicans during the regular session of the General Assembly.

Virginia House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) praised the Appropriations Committee for approving the package. “With the approval of these bills, the House is now poised to approve the largest financial commitment to transportation in at least twenty years,” remarked Speaker Howell. “Of great importance to the people we serve, we have heeded the public’s charge that transportation improvements be achieved without increasing the burden on taxpayers.

“With these eight bills, House Republicans have fulfilled their pledge to introduce a comprehensive, multi-faceted package of legislation during the Special Session to address Virginia’s transportation challenge. Our plan includes more than 20 individual pieces of legislation, representing the only complete set of proposals introduced by any legislative caucus or the executive since the spring.

“While I was proud of the ambitious transportation plan we introduced in February, this package is comprised of some of the boldest, most innovative proposals for transportation I have seen during my nearly 20 years in the General Assembly. If the Senate joins us in finding the ‘common ground’ inherent in these proposals, Virginia will be well on its way to creating a model 21st Century system of roads, railway, and public transit.”

Among the eight bills comprising the key funding component of the House Republican transportation package, House Bill 5092, sponsored by House Transportation Committee Chairman Leo C. Wardrup (R-Virginia Beach), allocates $339 million for transportation projects throughout the Commonwealth. The $339 million comes from the transportation reserve fund that was part of the 2006-2008 Biennial Budget agreed to by the House and Senate in June. Negotiators agreed at that time that the funds would be allocated before the conclusion of this special session.

Two bills sponsored by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent F. Callahan, Jr. (R-Fairfax) are integral to the House Republican plan. House Bill 5098, the Transportation Bond Act of 2006, would place a referendum before the electorate in November 2007 for the approval of $1.5 billion in bonds for transportation construction. The funding for these bonds would be distributed among the nine VDOT construction districts on the basis of population. Beginning in 2008, a portion of existing insurance premium revenues generated by auto insurance premiums would be designated to service the bonds. The other measure, House Bill 5097, would require that fifty percent of surplus revenues, after required disbursements to the Rainy Day and Water Quality Improvement Funds, be reserved for additional transportation investments.

“Cynics among us, and I suspect there are some around Capitol Square and beyond, may be tempted to say that today’s actions are just the same old thing,” declared Chairman Callahan. However, unlike those that have chosen to define our transportation challenge solely in terms of raising taxes, the House’s comprehensive plan includes essential VDOT reforms, land use changes as well as the necessary funding to make measurable improvements in Virginia’s transportation infrastructure. Overall, this package will provide $2.4 billion in new funding over the next six years. This is double the amount that this Committee and the entire House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved during the 2006 Regular Session.”