House T & I Committee Approves Long-Term Highway Bill

On Thursday afternoon, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved its version of a long-term (six year) highway bill, the STRR Act of 2015 (H.R. 3763), by a unanimous voice vote. The STRR Act would authorize spending up to $325 billion on transportation projects over the next six years, including $261 billion dedicated to highways. The full House must now take action on the bill and a conference with the Senate must follow.

The Senate passed its version of a long term (six year) highway bill, the DRIVE Act, in July. However, there are other huge roadblocks to surpass. Besides reconciling the House Highway bill with the Senate passed measure, the House Ways and Means Committee must still come up with the funding for the STRR Act. Complicating the matter further is that the current Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee may shortly be the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.  More immediately, however, because the current short-term patch authorizing spending on transportation runs out on October 29, lawmakers are scrambling to pass at least an extension of transportation funding by next Thursday to prevent an interruption.

The Department of Transportation has warned that it will have to stop making payments to states and local governments for infrastructure projects in November if Congress does not reach an agreement.