A key member of Republican leadership in the Senate said Thursday that GOP members of the upper chamber will likely accept a short-term extension of federal transportation funding.

Democrats who are in control of the upper chamber have maintained that they do not plan to hold another transportation vote in the Senate, pointing out that their version of the $109 billion bill that would fund road and transit projects for the next two years won 74 votes earlier this month.

But Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who is chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, said Republicans in the Senate would likely back the upper chamber relenting before a March 31 expiration date for the current legislation that provides funding for transportation projects.

Asked if most Senate Republicans would accept a House 90-day extension, Thune said, "probably.

"If that is the best they can do in the House, we know we can’t let it expire,” he said. “My preference, of course, would be that we get something that would extend it at least for a couple of years. Ideally we have multi-year authorization.

"But right now, obviously, that is not going to happen," Thune continued, "but it would be nice to see something that would extend this thing out a little bit further, but if it's a 90-day extension and that is the best that they can do, I suspect there would be a lot Republican support for it.”

Democrats in the House and Senate ratcheted up pressure on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to accept the $109 billion transportation bill that was passed by the upper chamber Thursday. 

Boehner has said he will extend the current legislation that provides funding to transportation programs for three months in order to give members of his Republican caucus more time to agree on a version of the highway bill that he hopes will be close to the five-year, $260 billion measure he originally proposed.

But Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said Thursday that lawmakers previously in Boehner's position took whatever votes were available, not just those from members of their own party.

"When Tip O'Neil wanted to get something done for the American people, he counted to 218," Boxer said at a press stakeout with House Democrats. 

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Thursday afternoon that Republicans are delaying a long-term transportation authorization bill because they are trying to find a way to fund federal spending at a time when the government is "out of money."

"We are in very, very difficult economic times," Cantor said on the House floor. "We have never faced the kind of problems that we face today as a country from a fiscal standpoint.

The Senate majority leader blasted the lower chamber for voting to drop the Senate's highway funding bill.

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House Republicans moved to punt consideration of a long-term highway bill until at least this summer.

The top Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said Wednesday they will use the three-month extension of current funding for federal highway programs to try once again to build support for the party’s five-year transportation bill.

“That’s what we’re trying to get the votes for,” Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) told reporters off the House floor.

The move is the latest in what has become a roller-coaster ride for the House GOP’s measure, a top priority for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

The House of Representatives will vote on a three-month extension of highway funding that will extend transportation programs in the United States until June 30.

The announcement comes after House leaders shunned the idea of holding a vote on a two-year, $109 billion plan that was approved in a bipartisan vote by the Senate last week. It represents a clear defeat for Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) goal of passing a multi-year bill early in this election year.

But House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said a three-month extension would "ensure continuity of current programs while … House Republicans continue to work toward a responsible transportation bill that provides long-term certainty, reduces the size of government, eliminates earmarks, and is fully paid for."

Mica made clear the House has no plans to take up the Senate version.

"We continue to believe that linking energy and infrastructure is the responsible thing to do in order to meet our long-term needs,” he said in a statement.

"We're urging them not to put us in that position, or America," Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.