Deal Reached to Extend Highway, Transit and Aviation Programs

Late Friday House and Senate leadership, along with key leaders of appropriate committees, agreed to terms for extending authorization for the highway, transit and aviation programs. Under the terms of the agreement the highway and transit programs will be extended for six months through March 31, 2012. The agreement allows the highway and transit programs to be funded at the current year’s funding for this six month period. A rescission of contract authority in the amount of $3.13 billion in the highway program will be included which does not immediately impact funding but could impact the program in the long term authorization bill. The agreement presumably allows time for House and Senate committees to continue working on a multi-year authorization bill. The agreement allows the Federal Aviation Administration programs to be extended for four months until January 31, 2012. FAA's Airport Improvement Program would be funded at $1.18 billion (one third of current year’s funding). Both extensions will be bundled up into one bill. The House is expected to take up the measure tomorrow likely under a “suspension of the rules” which requires more than a simple majority of those voting. The Senate will consider the measure later in the week depending on how it fares in the House. This action is necessary to prevent a shutdown of the FAA programs on Friday September 16 and the highway and transit programs on September 30. AGC has sent a letter urging support to both the House and Senate. The rank and file members of both the House and Senate have not yet been fully briefed on the details of the agreement and therefore are likely to have not yet decided if they support it. Positive votes on these measures is not a certainty, therefore, you are encouraged to contact your Congressional delegation through AGC’s Legislative Action Center. For more information, please contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 or deeryb@agc.org.