Posted March 23, 2012

Despite pressure from the White House, it appears that House Republicans will not put the Senate's $109 billion transportation and infrastructure bill to a vote and will instead try to extend existing legislation for another three months.

The House has been squabbling for weeks over its own highway bill, and the GOP leadership believes that the extension will give its members time to address any issues with the measure.

The Senate's leading Democrats, satisfied with the chamber's bipartisan bill, are resisting calls for an extension. Senate majority leader Harry Reid said he is "not inclined" to pass another extension.

If Congress is unable to pass a transportation bill or extension before March 31, federal funding for highway projects will be cut off.

Posted March 19, 2012

The US Senate passed a two-year, $109 billion transportation and infrastructure bill last week, putting pressure on the Republican-dominated House to move forward with their version.

Despite efforts by House Speaker John Boehner to unite the GOP representatives, lawmakers remain split over whether to support to the House measure. The House's draft legislation would allocate $260 billion over the next five years for transportation construction.

Federal surface transportation programs are currently being run on an extension - which expires March 31 - and observers say that Congress will be forced to approve yet another extension.

If Congress does not extend the existing legislation, an estimated 1.8 million construction workers could be laid off.