Leaders in the Senate and the House of Representatives met to discuss how to proceed with the conference committee that now must resolve the differences between the two versions of the TEA-21 reauthorization bill. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Ark.) was selected to serve as chairman of the conference. Traditionally the House and Senate alternate chairing the conference. The House chaired the conference on TEA-21 and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) chaired the conference in the 108th Congress. However, since the bill was not finalized Inhofe insisted on leading the upcoming Congress.
The House and Senate now must name their conference representatives, which is likely to happen early next week. However, there is a concern that it could become embroiled in the impasse over judicial nominees.
There also is talk of another funding extension. There have been six extensions of funding authority since the programs expired on Sept. 30, 2003, and the latest expires on May 31. Young has floated the idea of only providing authority to keep the Federal Highway Administration operating but not permitting additional funds to be distributed to states during the negotiations in order to keep the pressure on conferees to complete action on the legislation.
