Senate passes 3-month highway bill

Stopgap measure approved 91 to 4

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday approved a stopgap threemonth spending bill to finance federal highway and transportation projects until the end of October, leaving some frustrated lawmakers lamenting that important projects will be stalled.

But there were few alternatives given that a day earlier the House passed funding for only three months, then left town until Labor Day.

The Senate measure was approved 91 to 4.

The votes against the bill came from Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Mike Lee of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Jeff Sessions of Alabama, all Republicans.

Earlier on Thursday, the Senate voted 65-to-34 for an alternative highway bill that would pump $350 billion over six years into projects for the nation’s crumbling roads and bridges.

That measure will be shelved until the fall, and House members have expressed strong reservations about its funding provisions, which would cover only the first three years of spending.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, RKy., and majority leader, told reporters that the House would take up the long-term measure after the recess and the two chambers would then work out their differences.

“They intend to do it in early September, we’ll go to conference,” he said. “The goal of the conference obviously will be to get a result.”

In the fall, the Senate will be taking up several issues that are even more complicated and divisive, such as the debt ceiling and funding of the government itself. Some say that lawmakers are eager to get the highway bill, a relatively easier compromise, out of the way.

“Everyone on Capitol Hill realizes that there is damage being done due to repeated short-term extensions,” said Janet F. Kavinoky, the executive director for transportation and infrastructure at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“The only thing to do is swallow hard and try to come up with a compromise of paying for it.”

Before the vote, some senators expressed dismay that they were approving another short-term solution — the 35th since 2009 — instead of passing a long-term highway spending bill.

“None of these important policies will get done if Congress just kicks this can down the road,” said Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, DCalif., said that passing only a short-term measure was already having an impact on the highway construction business and putting hundreds of thousands out of work.

“In 25 states we are seeing layoffs of construction workers because of the fact that we are not doing a longterm bill,” she said.

There was measured optimism that when Congress returns in September, lawmakers will be able to agree on a longer-term spending measure.

“We are now planning on spending the month of August working hard to educate Congress on the need to get back into town in September and pass a fully funded, longterm highway and transit bill as quickly as possible,” said Brian Turmail, senior executive director for public affairs at the Associated General Contractors of America.

The short-term extension for highway funding also included $3.4 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is facing a huge budget shortfall that the department says stems from an increased demand for its services. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.,, said that an overhaul, not merely more money, was needed at the VA.

“This crisis must stop, and Congress cannot be expected to continue to bail out the VA because of mismanagement and management malpractice,” Mr. Blumenthal said.