One of the most powerful players on the national transportation scene came to South Bend Tuesday.

Even U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, (D) Minnesota—the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee—feels somewhat powerless when it comes to getting things done in Congress these days.

“Well, unfortunately the Senate is in gridlock with their filibusters and holds and the ability of one senator for whatever purpose to hold up a bill of any nature,” said Rep. Oberstar.

At a meeting with area government leaders at South Bend’s Studebaker Museum today, Rep. Oberstar said the House had passed a total of 410-bills that went nowhere in the Senate.

“We in the House are able to bring bills to conclusion and vote on them, vote them up, vote them down, and add or delete amendments, but the Senate doesn’t operate that way,” said Rep. Oberstar.

The situation is frustrating for John Schalliol, the Director of the South Bend Regional Airport Authority.

“They aren’t doing the people’s business, and they haven’t been, I think, for a long time.”

The airport is several months into a $12 million terminal expansion project. Due to the situation in Congress, Schalliol isn’t sure if the project will be financed the easy way—or the hard way.

“We had hoped that they (Congress) would add another buck or two bucks to that so we can get in and get out quicker,” said Schalliol.

Schalliol was hoping that Congress would allow for an increase in the per-ticket fee airports are allowed to charge passengers (the PFC or passenger facility charge). The fee increase was included in the House passed version of the bill.

“The House has twice passed a bill, and they get it to the Senate and the Senate can’t seem to get their arms around this whole thing, and certainly don’t understand the urgency, and in fact, a lot of the senators view the PFC not as a user fee, but as a tax,” said Schalliol.

Rep. Oberstar defended the proposed fee increase. “No one is required to pay it, no one is required to impose it, but if airports chose to use it as a funding mechanism to make those improvements in terminals and runway capacity that they have the revenue source to do that.”

Schalliol says the fee issue is tied up in the proposed reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.

“The last F.A.A. reauthorization bill expired in 2007,” said Schalliol. “It’s 2010. Just last week Congress was able to get together to pass yet another extension to that bill, a two months extension that’s the 15th extension that they’ve passed.”

Schalliol doesn’t have the luxury of waiting any longer. He says that the airport will likely have to authorize a bond issue to pay for the work.

The bond would be paid back with the PFC or passenger facility charge set at $4.50. “Where if we had the $5.50 or $6 or even $7, we could collect and pay as we go and not have a bond at all,” said Schalliol.

Chairman Oberstar today also spoke of the federal government’s highway funding crisis. Rep. Oberstar said that if nothing is done, revenues into the highway trust fund would drop 20-percent from what they are today. “And that would be, mean a 20-percent reduction in investment in our highways and bridges and transit systems, and job losses.”

While a panel of experts has recommended that the federal gas tax be increased, Indiana Second District Congressman Joseph Donnelly expressed his doubts: “I don’t see that coming on the horizon; I think they’re looking for other alternative funding vehicles.”

Rep. Oberstar did discuss a possible tax on those who invest in oil futures, and the idea of taxing imported oil. Rep. Oberstar said both of the ideas were discarded as unworkable.

“We have to pay for things some way or another,” said South Bend Mayor Stephen Luecke, “I know it’s difficult in times like this to look at that, but certainly some probably increase in the gas tax or another funding formula will be essential if we’re going to be able to look to high speed rail, or look to improvements to roads like U.S. 31 down to Indianapolis.”

Today’s meeting was arranged and organized by U.S. Rep. Joseph Donnelly, (D) Indiana’s 2nd District.