Highway bill reinvigorated

Congress is redoubling efforts to reauthorize the long-overdue highway bill after the Bush Administration reduced pressure to control federal spending.

The U.S. Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure announced the introduction of a six-year, $283.9 billion Highway Bill— marking a $28 billion increase over the Bush Administration’s proposal two years ago, and a 42% increase over the current bill, which expired in 2003.

President Bush’s updated reauthorization proposal, which was submitted with the fiscal year 2006 budget, supports the funding level.

“I strongly believe that we have a much better chance of moving this legislation quickly in the 109th Congress, now that we are working with the same top line funding level that the President has endorsed,” said U.S. House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Don Young (R-AK). “I am committed to getting back to conference as fast as possible.”