Sen. Boxer proposes extension of highway bill

Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is expected to propose a short-term extension of the 2005 surface transportation bill, set to expire on September 30.  The four-month extension would allow Congress additional time to pass a long term bill.

This summer, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) proposed a six-year, $230 billion bill that would slash funding by more than 30 percent. Mica’s stated the emphasis should be on long-term certainty for state transportation departments rather than a series of short-term extensions. However, many supporters say a clean extension would make sense given that neither version of a long-term extension has had a markup in either chamber. ARA supports a congressional effort to pass a long term highway bill, which would help eliminate the uncertainty currently affecting the transportation sector.

For more information on this issue, contact Jon Samson at (202) 457-0825 or jon@aradc.org.

Source: Agricultural Retailers Association

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