Spotlight

The roller coaster that has been the extension of the surface transportation programs takes a turn upward under the Senate jobs bill, which the House passed with minor amendments in early March.

The $15 billion Senate jobs bill – the HIRE Act (Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment) – does not include any additional transportation investment but does include the following important transportation provisions:

• Authorization for the highway and transit programs at the 2009 investment levels through December 31, 2010;
• A $20 billion transfer from the general fund to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to allow Highway and Transit Accounts to maintain current levels through December 2010 and
• Restoration of lost contract authority from the $8.7 billion rescission SAFETEA-LU required on September 30, 2009.

SAFETEA-LU expired on September 30, 2009.  Congress has since passed four separate short-term extensions.  The most recent extension – through March 28th – was passed only after the last extension was allowed to expire for the first two days in March, due to a filibuster by Senator Bunning (R-KY). 

 The bill now must go back to the Senate, hopefully for a final vote.