Reid calls on Boehner to move Senate transportation bill

By Pete Kasperowicz - 03/14/12 09:49 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday morning called on House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to quickly move a Senate transportation authorization bill that the Senate is expected to approve later in the day.

"I now call upon my friend, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to move this bill over there as quickly as possible," Reid said on the Senate floor. "He's indicated that he likely would take up the Senate bill; I hope that in fact is the case."

Boehner has said repeated that the House would likely consider the Senate-passed bill, S. 1813, once it passes. The Senate bill is a two-year, $109 billion authorization bill, which is seen as more palatable to many Republicans than the original GOP bill that was floated, a $260 billion, five-year authorization.

Reid said the Senate bill would "save or create" 2.8 million jobs, and that its approval would have an immediate jobs impact, since current highway authorization expires at the end of March.

"At the end of this month, the highway bill expires," he said. "That could lead to the laying-off, termination of well more than 1 million people."

Reid said the Senate would need just two more amendment votes on Wednesday, and would then move to a final passage vote. Votes on the highway bill are still scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m.

Reid also repeated that there could be up to 17 cloture votes on district court judge nominees today, and indicated the Senate is closer to moving a House-passed capital formation bill, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, H.R. 3606.

"I think there's general agreement there should be an extremely limited number of amendments, and move this as quickly as possible," Reid said.