If unable to complete negotiations on TEA 21 reauthorization before the expiration of the current extension of the law, Congress is expected to consider an extension of the federal surface transportation program spending authority from the Highway Trust Fund for 48 hours, ending Thursday, July 21 at midnight. The House and Senate would have to pass such an extension with the president signing the bill into law before midnight, in order to prevent the shut down of the Federal Highway Administration.

As information coming from the committees of jurisdiction is sketchy at best, we are unable to determine how much money will be available for DOT, but can be fairly certain that such a short-term extension bodes well for eventual passage of the conference report. NSSGA has learned that one hold-up may involve the state allocations and how the transit funds are also to be allocated. Congressional staff has been meeting almost non-stop over the past week in order to finalize the bill and present the options to the conferees.

On the Senate side, the Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary & HUD Appropriations Subcommittee gave approval to its version of the FY 2006 spending plan. Included in the proposal was approximately $40 billion for the highway program. Further details on this $40 billion figure will not be available until the full committee marks up the transportation appropriation bill, which is scheduled for this Thursday.