WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate is set to take up legislation to keep federal highway money flowing to states, with just three days left before the government plans to start slowing down payments.
The House passed a $10.8 billion bill last week that would pay for highway and transit aid through the end of May 2015 if transportation spending is maintained at current levels. Under a schedule outlined by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., the Senate would take up that bill Tuesday afternoon.
But senators who say the House bill uses budgetary gimmicks to pay for roads and bridges or who want to force Congress to act before the end of the year on a long-term plan to pay for transportation programs are expected to offer amendments. If any amendment passes, it would alter the underlying House bill and set up an 11th-hour showdown between the House and Senate on how to resolve the differences between their bills.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters Tuesday the House won’t accept any changes in the way transportation programs are paid for in its bill.
“I just want to make clear, if the Senate sends a highway bill over here with those provisions, we’re going to strip it out and put the House-passed provisions back in and send it back to the Senate,” he said.