Ultimately, the Coburn amendment failed 82-15, but it highlighted an increasing tension between Republicans in both chambers. Fiscal conservatives are pressing for deficit reduction before hurricane relief and repair and demanding offsets against spending on reconstruction. Republican Congressional leaders, however, have shown little interest in cutting popular spending programs or rescinding or redirecting funding for member project earmarks included in recently passed bills. Coburn's efforts were not only directed at Alaska. He also attempted to cut projects in Nebraska, Washington and Rhode Island contending "The debate is about priorities." Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee Chairman Kit Bond (R-Mo.) conceded that some of the Senate's devotion to local projects funding is prompted by the political imperative of serving their constituencies to get reelected.

A conference committee will now resolve differences between the House and Senate bills. The two versions have significant differences foremost among them the funding levels: the House bill comes in at $139.1 billion, compared to the Senate bill of $141.6 billion. Both bills include District of Columbia spending. A big point of contention in conference promises to be how to fund Amtrak, the nation's passenger rail system. The Senate bill would appropriate $1.45 billion for Amtrak, while the House bill would appropriate $1.18 billion. The House bill funds highways at $36 billion, the funding level provided under SAFETEA-LU, while the Senate funds highways at $40.2 billion. NSSGA will continue its efforts to achieve passage of the FY '06 Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill to avoid its inclusion in a year-end omnibus appropriations bill.