New Costs for Security: Who Is Going to Pay?

The next multiyear highway bill likely will continue the tradition of allowing states to determine how best to spend federal highway dollars, but lawmakers will have to deal, for the first time, with how much money should be spent on anti-terrorism measures.

Terrorist skyjackings of Sept. 11 precipitated pages of legislation. Everything — from opening every container on a truck to stopping ships 10 miles from shore — was discussed in Congress.

While appropriators rushed through emergency spending legislation for airlines, appropriations to guarantee security on the interstates, at ports, on rails and in transit operations likely will be considered in the next highway package, which will take effect in 2004.