The extension provides an additional $1.7 billion in obligational authority to the highways program, raising the overall obligational authority for FY 2005 to date to $27.2 billion. The new funding is precisely 60 percent of the one-month given out in the last extension. The bill pro-rates amounts to all other existing highway, transit, and highway and motor carrier safety programs funded out of the HTF.

NSSGA has learned that progress is being made by the conferees on the reauthorization bill, H.R. 3. A highly touted agreement reached a week-ago appeared to have collapsed early this week, but now seems to be back on track. Conferees are said to have settled on a $286.5 funding level, but they still are negotiating over the "scope" of the bill or what will be considered for purposes of determining the state funding apportionments. The White House maintains that the president will veto any funding level exceeding $284 billion.

NSSGA urges its grassroots to contact members of Congress during next weeks Independence Day recess and urge completion of work on the highway reauthorization at the highest possible funding level. Just remember over this holiday when you are stuck in traffic, the solution is stuck in Congress. Face-to-face meetings or personal telephone calls are best, but draft letters are available under NSSGA Legislative Action Center and can easily be e-mailed. We must keep the pressure on Congress to act now!