Status on the Reauthorization of the Highway and Transit Program

On Friday, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) introduced legislation to extend the highway and transit programs through the end of July.  The Chairmen indicated that while it was their preference to move an extension of the highway and transit programs through the end of the year, they still need more time to reach a bipartisan agreement on offsets.  And, since the Highway Trust Fund has sufficient resources to fund its obligations through the end of July, this legislation will allow transportation spending to continue through July, while the Committees work towards closing the Trust Fund’s shortfall.  It is likely that this will be a “clean” bill and that no amendments, such as the LNG tax equity fix, may be offered.