EPW to Mark Up 6-Year Highway Bill in June, ‘Can No Longer Wait On Congress’
Leaders of the transportation policy committee in the Senate said May 13 they will schedule a markup in June to consider a bill that reauthorizes surface highway programs for six years.
"We are quickly approaching a critical deadline for federal investment in our nation’s roads and bridges. Without congressional action by May 31, vital projects across the nation will come to a grinding halt. This is unacceptable, and we owe it to our nation’s economy to send a strong signal that Congress is going to maintain the backbone of America’s commerce and national security,” said Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Environment and Public Works panel.
They added, “While Congress continues to debate the funding mechanisms, we believe it is in the best interest that this committee moves forward with consideration of a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill. … We can no longer wait on Congress.”
Inhofe and Boxer indicated they are working with top members on the panel to get the bill ready before next month’s hearing. The senators did not specify sources of funding for the programs that would be covered under the bill.
As EPW chairwoman, Boxer led the passage of a $265 billion, six-year policy measure that would have required states to spend some of their federal highway money on projects that improve freight mobility. The chambers did not take up her legislation.
