Oberstar will not tolerate funding extensions

In a bid to force lawmakers to make tough decisions in the next few months, the chairman of the House committee responsible for writing a new highway bill said he will not agree to extend the current law.

Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) said in an interview that he will not sponsor or support an extension of surface transportation programs if a new long-term authorization bill cannot be completed by the Sept. 30 deadline. Instead, Oberstar said he would allow the programs to expire, and lawmakers would have to answer to states that lose their federal transportation support.

“It all dies,” Oberstar said.

That threat may be hard to sustain, particularly given the importance of infrastructure spending to create jobs during the current economic recession. Democratic leaders in both chambers would have the final say on the matter.

Oberstar said Congress too often uses short-term extensions as an excuse not to get its work done.

Oberstar had hoped to mark up this year’s reauthorization bill before the Memorial Day recess, but said it probably will be a few more weeks before a draft is ready for committee approval.