Republican senators are now joining in on the call for a six-month extension of SAFETEA-LU.
The Senate rejected the strategy a couple of months ago, which has lead to a series of one-month extensions. The current one in place expires Dec. 18.
Three conservatives—Sens. Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas) and Richard Shelby (Ala.) signed a bipartisan letter urging the Senate to approve the six-month extension. The other co-authors were Democrats: Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.) and Chris Dodd (Conn.). Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus also signed the measure, but the Finance Panel’s head Republican, Chuck Grassley (Iowa), did not offer up his signature.
A Grassley aid said the senator is concerned about the long-term health of the Highway Trust Fund but is not in favor of passing short extensions.
According to Streetsblog Capitol Hill, the highlight of the letter was the attempt to provide states a steady flow of funds to give them the “certainty they need to plan and contract for” road and bridge projects.
