(Washington, D.C.) - Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus helped lead the U.S. Senate in passing the Highway Bill today. After calling on his colleagues to get focused on the transportation infrastructure the nation needs to stay competitive, he hailed today's passage as critical for highway jobs. The measure cleared the Senate by a vote of 74-22.

"Highways are our lifeblood in Montana which is why this bill is so important for good-paying jobs, our small businesses and our families. There's very little under the Big Sky that doesn't depend on our highways which is why I've fought so hard to get bring the highway bill to the finish line," Baucus said.

As a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Baucus helped pass the policy framework for the bill unanimously through the panel in November. As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Baucus worked to come up with a bipartisan plan to responsibly pay for the investments in the Highway Bill.

The Highway Bill: Montana facts at-a-glance

• The bill includes provisions to cut through red tape to speed up infrastructure projects and put people to work faster.

• The legislation also includes Baucus' amendment two vital programs for Montana's rural forest counties - restoring Secure Rural Schools and Payment in Lieu of Taxes which together brought nearly $50 million to Montana counties last year.

• It includes Baucus' provision to renew the Land Water Conservation Fund through 2022 with $700 million in funding for FY13 and $700 million in FY14.

• Montana's rate of return increases from $2.20 to $2.26 for every dollar Montanans contribute to the Highway Trust Fund.

• Relying on US DOT estimates where every $1 billion in federal highway investment translates into approximately 35,000 good-paying jobs, this bill will create or sustain about 14,000 jobs a year in Montana.

• Under the bill, Montana is slated to receive approximately $400 million annually.    US DOT also estimates that every $1 in federal money invested in highways, roads, bridges and transit creates more than $5 in economic activity.
  

• The bill supports highways, bridges, off-system bridges in counties, metropolitan planning and land use in several cities, alternative transportation opportunities, federal lands access and Indian Reservation Roads across the state.

•  The bill provides much needed funding for 37 bus transit systems across the state.

•  The bill includes a focus on improving safety and reducing the fatality rate on rural highways. 

•  It provides local areas and states with greater autonomy for spending decisions.

The Highway Bill: What Montanans are Saying

(read more online HERE)

"Infrastructure needs in communities across the Rocky Boy's Reservation have become even more intense due to flooding over the last few years. The highway bill is critical for tribal communities and all of Montana because it provides the investments we need to keep people working and keep traffic flowing safely. We appreciate Max's hard work on this and hope that this bipartisan momentum will continue."
-Tim Rosette Sr. of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe of Montana's Rocky Boy's Reservation (Senior Public Works Administrator

 "The highway bill will support construction jobs in the short term and invest in our infrastructure for the long haul. I want to thank Max for taking the lead on this common sense bill that directly answers the problem of a jobs crisis with job creation."
-Al Ekblad, Montana AFL-CIO executive secretary

"MAP-21 will provide an immediate and significant investment (and billions in Montana) into America's infrastructure.  We need the construction and repairs and we need the jobs.  Senator Baucus has been a leader on the highway bill and we urge Congress and the President to get this passed."
-Webb Brown, Montana Chamber of Commerce president.

"I commend Max for stepping up to the plate to make sure Montanans are taken care of in this economy where workers definitely need his leadership, and the infrastructure of our state and country need the funding to meet the new demands of a growing America."
- John Roeber, president of the Montana State Building and Construction Trades Council

 "The highway bill has long been an important catalyst for good construction jobs in Montana. We appreciate Senator Baucus keeping the highway bill on the front burner and we hope that the House and the President will follow suit."
-Cary Hegreberg, executive director of the Montana Contractors Association

Additional background:

• The last Surface Transportation law expired on September 30, 2009. Since then, Congress and the President have extended the law eight times in order to continue to provide federal funding.

• The current extension expires March 31, 2012 and many groups ranging from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the AFL-CIO have called for immediate action to reauthorize the nation's transportation programs.

• The new Highway Bill Baucus is co-sponsored maintains funding at current levels for two years, reforms the nation's transportation programs to make them more efficient, and provides robust assistance for transportation projects under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) - a program to leverage state, local, and private-sector funding.