Video: Senator Wicker Proposes Streamlining Access to Transportation Funds

[syndicaster id=’5644646′]

WASHINGTON D.C. (WCBI) -With earmarks gone, the nation’s local governments want Congress to give them another way to tap directly into federal transportation dollars. Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker wants to establish a money pot that would be used for grants to cities and counties nationwide. Local governments wouldn’t have to wait for federal money to come to states and then be handed out by state politicians.

“They are excited about this concept of a program to dedicate a portion of federal funding to create a small pool of competitive grant funds to be awarded on a merit basis.”

Wicker discussed the idea during the Senate Transportation Committee’s hearing on the federal transportation bill, which is in the preliminary stages in Congress.