Legislation to fund the Recreational Trails Program has been introduced in
the House.  This is an important program to the horse industry.

MEMORANDUM

To:       AHC Recreation Organizations
From:    American Horse Council
Re:       Recreational Trails Program Funding
Date:    February 28, 2005

Federal highway funding legislation has been re-introduced in the House of
Representatives.  The bill, which is supported by important Republicans and
Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is called "The
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users" or "TEA LU" (H.R. 3).
The Committee is expected to consider the bill shortly.  Legislation is also
expected to be introduced in the Senate shortly.
The six-year bill provides funding for highways and transit systems totaling
$283.9 billion through 2009.  This is the funding level included in the
President's 2006 Budget.  The bill was introduced by Representatives Don
Young (R-AK), Chairman of the Committee, James Oberstar (D-MN), ranking
Democrat, Tom Petri (R-WI), Chairman of the Highways Subcommittee, and Peter
DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Democrat.
The legislation is important to the horse industry because it authorizes
appropriations for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which provides
funds to the states to develop and maintain recreational trails and
trail-related facilities for horse trails and other non-motorized and
motorized recreational trail uses.  The program was authorized in 1991
and has received increased funding and support since its establishment.
TEA LU provides $503 million to the RTP program over six years, an 86%
increase over the present level.  The following funding levels called for
each fiscal year are:
2004                 $53 million
2005                 $70 million
2006                 $80 million
2007                 $90 million
2008                 $100 million
2009                 $110 million
The AHC has supported this legislation in a letter signed by various other
organizations.
In the last Congress, the House and Senate were unable to pass the same
highway funding bill.  For this reason, Congress passed a series of
Continuing Resolutions extending the expiration date of the highway funding
program.  The last such resolution will expire at the end of May, 2005.