Congress has again delayed voting on a transportation reauthorization bill, with House Republicans saying they want to rewrite their bill and senators on Tuesday voting against a measure to limit debate and amendments to their two-year, $109 billion bill.
The latest of eight temporary extensions for transportation funding runs out March 31, meaning a ninth extension is likely.
In the House, which takes a recess next week, a five-year $260 billion bill put forth by Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica was pulled from the floor last month.
Some news reports said Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) asked Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) to take over crafting a new bill. However, Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told Transport Topics that was not true.
“The Speaker continues to have every confidence in Chairman Mica, and totally supports his continuing efforts to pass a transportation bill with key reforms including a link to expanded American energy supply — and no earmarks,” Steel said.
In the Senate, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said Republicans were delaying a vote on the transportation bill “by insisting on unrelated amendments.”
