Senate and House Approve Highway Trust Fund Fix

By a vote of 79-17 the Senate passed legislation to transfer $7 billion of general fund revenue to the Highway Trust Fund to provide enough revenue to ensure state transportation departments will continue receiving full reimbursements for federal-aid highway projects through September, the end of the current federal fiscal year. The House approved the measure on Wednesday by a vote of 363-68. The bill now goes to the President who is expected to sign it. In the Senate several amendments to the bill were defeated. Congress must still take action to extend spending authorization beyond September 30 when SAFETEA-LU expires. That issue will have to be addressed in September following the Congressional recess.