Highways, Bridges and Roads

"One senator" could prevent the Senate from approving a bill to extend funding for highways and the Federal Aviation Administration, the latter of which expires Friday, Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a speech on the floor Wednesday, referring to Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla).

Reid (D-Nev.) said under Senate rules, a hold Coburn is placing on a bill to fund the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could prevent lawmakers in the chamber from voting a bill to extend the FAA's funding through January and highway spending through March. The deal, which has already been passed by the House, is widely expected to be approved in the Senate and is being hailed as a victory by transportation advocates after the partial shutdown of the FAA last month.

But Reid said Wednesday that Coburn's objection to the $6.9 billion FEMA bill because of its price could cost more emergency management dollars.

“I am in a situation where I can’t get to this bill until Friday, when it expires,” Reid said of the FAA bill.

The legislation would extend the FAA through January and highway programs through March.

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) praised the funding extension for highways and the FAA, although long-term appropriations measures will be delayed.

Without an extension, the government would be unable to collect the federal gas tax, which brings in about $100 million per day. 

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole says he is optimistic about everything but terrorism.

Arizona highway bonds have been downgraded.

The trucking company being sued by Amtrak over a crash is Maine is asking for more time to answer the suit.

A court has rejected Swedish automaker Saab's request for bankruptcy protection.

The Republican chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said Thursday evening that he is opposed to the call for a national infrastructure bank President Obama made in his speech to a joint session of Congress.

Rep. John Mica (Fla.) said he thought Congress should encourage individual states to create their own infrastructure banks, arguing as he has in the past that it would give them more flexibility to design transportation projects that fit their own needs.

“While the President reconfirmed that our highways are clogged and our skies are congested, his well delivered address provided only one specific recommendation for building our nation’s infrastructure,” Mica said in a news release. “Unfortunately, a National Infrastructure Bank run by Washington bureaucrats requiring Washington approval and Washington red tape is moving in the wrong direction. A better plan to improve infrastructure is to empower our states, 33 of which already have state infrastructure banks.”

A Senate committee approved on Thursday a short-term extension of the highway spending bill that authorizes Congress to collect the federal gas tax.

The measure is an eighth extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) that was expired in 2009.

Transportation advocates have pushed for a long-term bill, but the Republican-led House and the Democratically-controlled Senate have offered vastly different versions of the bill. The House proposal would spend $235 billion over six years on transportation, while the Senate has suggested spending $109 billion over two years.

Advocates generally like the length of the House proposal, but the higher per-year spending amount of the Senate's.

Just hours before President Obama unveils his much-anticipated jobs plan, a leading House Democrat is doubling down on calls for more spending on infrastructure and education.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), a co-chairwoman of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, said Thursday that jobs — not deficit concerns — "should be the No. 1 priority in our country right now," and suggested new stimulus spending would be the quickest way to create them.

The Connecticut Democrat is pushing for a federal infrastructure bank to attract private dollars for public works projects — a concept backed by Obama. She's also urging new funding to patch the country's deteriorating schools, a proposal she intends to introduce "soon."

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The House Appropriations Committee announced Wednesday it was allocating $55 billion for transportation, housing and urban development next year, with $16.7 million going directly to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

President Obama's proposed budget called for $74 billion to go to transportation spending next year, with $13 billion going to the DoT's operating budget.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) hailed the fact Wednesday that panel's overall transportation proposal was significantly less than Obama's, but still increased DoT funding by $3 billion.

Congressional Republicans may oppose new infrastructure spending, but Cantor is pushing an idea to free funds for critical projects.