House, Senate Reach Compromise on Highway Bill
ouse and Senate negotiators late Wednesday agreed to a compromise six-year, $286.4 billion highway bill, and President Bush withdrew a veto threat even though the measure is above spending levels the White House had wanted, news services reported.
Lawmakers involved in the talks said they expected to present their report early Thursday, with both the House and Senate likely to approve the plan this week before the Congressional August recess, the Washington Post reported.
About 80% of the bill would fund highway projects, with 18% going to mass transit and 2% to transportation safety projects, the Post said.
The bill would fund transportation and safety programs for the 2004 to 2009 period, replacing a $218 billion, six-year program that expired in September 2003.
The House in March approved a $284 billion highway bill, in line with what the White House wanted to spend. President Bush had threatened to veto a $295 billion highway plan approved by the Senate in May because it exceeded his spending target by $11 billion.
Congress Wednesday passed an 11th temporary extension of the old law, through midnight Saturday. That will keep existing highway programs running but prevent new ones from getting started, AP said.
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