Broun shot down: House rejects proposal to press for sharp highway cuts

The House on Friday rejected a Republican proposal to instruct House negotiators on the highway bill to insist that the bill spend only the money collected through the gas tax on highway spending.

The motion to instruct conferees, from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.), was defeated 82-323, as Republicans opposed it by a margin of 82-145.

Broun's language would have instructed House conferees to insist on spending about $37.5 billion in 2013 on highway funds, in negotiations with a Senate that is looking to spend $109 billion over two years. The motion was opposed by many business groups who saw that reduction as too drastic.

In debate late Thursday night, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) accused Broun of hating America for proposing such a low level of highway spending.

The House and Senate are still negotiating a long-term compromise bill, but House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) hinted last week that conferees might not meet the June 30 deadline, when federal highway program authorization expires.