The Department of Transportation has advised state roadbuilding authorities that federal payment schedules will be modified beginning Aug.1 if Congress cannot come up with additional money to make up for declining fuel tax revenues.
By a 66-31 vote, the Senate approved an amendment designed to force Congress to address a long-term solution to surface transportation funding in a post-election lame duck session.
The House plan would patch the shortfall through next May, and before the Senate vote Speaker John Boehner warned that he would not accept any changes.
The short-term extension proposed by Sens. Barbara Boxer, Tom Carper and Bob Corker still managed to gather enough bipartisan support.
“I remain deeply concerned that if we kick this can into next year that the next Congress – like so many Congresses before it – will be unable to summon the courage necessary to write a long-term plan for our nation’s infrastructure,” Corker said. “It’s this Congress’ responsibility to come up with a long-term solution. Not the next one. Our amendment would ensure that this Congress gets its job done this year.”
Added Boxer, who referred to one of the funding mechanisms in the House plan, “Our bill also turns away from smoke and mirrors by doing away with ‘pension smoothing,’ which is a dangerous gimmick that could lead to pensions being underfunded.”
