$8 Billion Highway Trust Fund Fix Effectively Dead

Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to continue debate on a measure that would have bolstered the Highway Trust Fund, effectively killing the bill.

The bill would have shifted more than $8 billion from the general fund to the Highway Trust Fund. It also would have also extended a package of tax credits for renewable energy.

Democrats needed 60 votes to halt the debate. The vote was 51-43.

Earlier this month, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a similar measure. Last week, the House voted overwhelmingly to agree to the fix.

The White House has said President Bush would veto the bill. The administration favors a loan to the trust fund’s highway account from its transit account to fix the looming deficit.

Democrats said the bill would have created jobs and allowed the federal government to meet the obligations it made during the last highway bill.

Senior Reporter Sean McNally contributed to this report.