Legislative Bulletin - July 16, 2009

Senate Committee Authorizes Highway Bill Extension

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW Committee) yesterday passed a “clean” 18-month extension of the current SAFETEA-LU authorization bill, which expires on September 30, 2009. The extension bill provides approximately $41 billion for FY 2010 and $20.5 billion for the first half of FY 2011. This keeps spending at the current level, without taking stimulus money into consideration. The extension does not include any new policy or project provisions, only highway and bridge spending.

Before consideration by the full Senate, other committees with jurisdiction over surface transportation must also pass spending authorization extensions. While the EPW Committee has jurisdiction over bridges and highways, the Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over safety, motor carriers and freight transportation and the Senate Banking Committee has jurisdiction over public transit. Once these committees pass extensions, they will be joined together on the Senate Floor. The Senate Finance Committee is also expected to consider legislation that would provide $20 billion to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent. These funds will insure that states are reimbursed for project spending through the extension period.

The House of Representatives will also have to pass identical extensions in order to send the measure to the President. However, both House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Ranking Member John Mica (R-FL) are still pushing hard for a $500 billion six-year authorization bill to be passed this year.

The EPW Committee approved the extension on an 18-1 vote, and afterwards Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) issued a statement urging support for the bill. To see the text of Senator Boxer’s statement, click here. For more information, contact TRALA’s Tom James at 703-299-9120 or at tjames@trala.org.