Senate EPW Committee pushing for another highway-funding extension

Word out of Washington is that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is working on proposing a four-month extension of the highway bill. The latest extension expires on Sept. 30.

EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is expected to ask that the Highway Trust Fund programs continue to be funded at current levels with no policy changes until the end of January.

A Congressional committee, which was formed as part of the debt-limit deal, is expected to meet and discuss further deficit cuts before the year is out. No word as to how that might affect the transportation-funding crisis.

President Barack Obama continues to push for more infrastructure spending in the hopes of creating more jobs to help a struggling economy. However, it is unclear as to how the ultra-conservative Republican Party will respond to such a call. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-Fla.) has not announced any intentions to extend the highway program beyond Sept. 30.

The National League of Cities warned that the next extension could be different than the others.