House Republicans Set to Unveil American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act

House Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner, announced today that they will soon be introducing the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act. A summary is available on Rep. Boehner’s website. The bill would expand domestic American oil and natural gas production offshore and on federal lands, something I believe is very positive. However, I am not enthusiastic about depositing royalty revenues into the Highway Trust Fund, which would spell an end to the mechanism’s “user-pays/user-benefits” principle that has long enjoyed broad bipartisan support. The other day at CEI’s OpenMarket.org, I briefly explained why this is a shortsighted move that will likely do great harm to long-term surface transportation policy in the United States by opening the door for increased politicization.