Senate Action to Extend SAFETEA-LU No Longer Imminent (AASHTO Journal)
As reported in Transportation Weekly, Senate leaders are delaying plans to take up a six-month extension of the surface transportation act and it doesn’t appear such legislation will be taken up any time soon.
It had been expected that leadership in the Senate would attempt to move the bill late this week or early next week, but published reports indicate those plans are no longer imminent.
“We are disappointed that the Senate was unable to move the extension forward,” said John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. “We will continue to work with the House and Senate leadership on passage of authorization as soon as that proves possible. In the meantime, we will work to assure that there is no interruption in the program when the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires. States need certainty of long term funding as soon as possible, so they can plan for the future and enter into long term contracts that create jobs and support large and small businesses.”
Currently, the federal highway program is being funded by a CR approved by the House and Senate, and signed by the President to keep the government running at current budget levels through December 18.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James L. Oberstar, D-MN, has opposed a lengthy extension of SAFETEA-LU because it would delay passage of the committee’s six-year, $500 billion plan. The measure has been marked up by subcommittee and is awaiting full committee action.
In late September, by a vote of 335 to 85, the House agreed to support a three-month extension of authorization for the highway and transit programs. The Senate, however, failed to approve the measure.
