Another extension as political can is kicked down the deteriorating highway
And the political can gets kicked a short way down the deteriorating highway once again. The Federal Highway Trust Fund gets a three-month reprieve as Congress has once again applied a short term political fix to the nation’s long term infrastructure problems.
President Obama signed the $8 billion package that extends federal infrastructure spending until Oct. 29, effectively punting the issue for consideration until the fall. Without Obama’s signature on the short term fix, federal funds for surface transportation projects would have expired on July 31.
The U.S. Senate passed a six-year long term highway bill the day before the extension was passed, the result of a negotiation between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California. But House Republicans left town without taking up the Senate’s highway bill.
Desoto Times
8/5/15
