Conservative group labels long-term highway bill negotiations 'kabuki dance'

The conservative Heritage Foundation's political arm is warning its members about negotiations between the House and Senate about a possible long-term highway bill now that Congress is back in town.

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday on an extension similar to the recently approved 90 day-extension of the legislation that provides funding for road and transit projects that would take effect after the June 30 expiration date of the current continuing resolution.

GOP aides have said the measure (H.R. 4348), which includes language authorizing the controversial Keystone oil pipeline, is intended to be the legislative language House Republicans take into a potential conference with the Senate about the highway bill. 

But the conservative Heritage Foundation's political arm said Monday in an alert to its members that the extension was "a shell bill."

"Conservatives are typically leery of conference committees and in December, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) inadvertently revealed why," the Heritage Action for America said in an email quoting Mica saying last year that conference negotiations are "kabuki dances anyways."

"The kabuki dance is more dramatic than usual this time because the House has no policy from which to negotiate, as it has not passed a bill," the Heritage email Monday continued. "Instead of 'allowing the House to work its will,' House leaders are using a shell bill to bypass lawmakers – conservative and liberal alike."

Even though no negotiations on a long-term highway bill between the House and Senate have been scheduled, the Heritage political group said it was not optimistic about the possibility.

"Even though the House could not formulate good policy through its own process, leaders now seem to be saying good policy can be derived from this kabuki dance," the group said. 

"We can be certain good policy will not come, though," the email continued. "Not only is the 'scope' [of negotiations] limited, but Senate Democrats have very little incentive to compromise with House Republicans.

"The Senate bill passed with unanimous Democrat support, along with half their Republican colleagues. Within the 'scope' of the conference, House Republican negotiators have almost no starting point to negotiate, aside from the Keystone language. If they had passed their July proposal, it would be an entirely different dynamic."

The Heritage group closed its email warning members "for anyone interested in good policy, that should be concerning.

"Lawmakers and their constituents should understand that a vote for the 90-day extension enables the Senate-passed bill to become law. [Tuesday's] vote is nothing more than a face-saving kabuki dance that ignores the 'clear message' sent by the American people just 17 months ago." 

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