Senate Panel Approves $284 Bln. Highway Bill

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Senate committee Wednesday approved a $284 billion transportation spending bill, though members said they would try to raise the amount before the bill becomes law, Bloomberg reported.

The Environment and Public Works Committee’s 17-1 vote would renew a law that mandates how gasoline and truck taxes are distributed to states for highway construction. The six-year legislation also funds safety, transit and other transportation projects.

President Bush has said he wants to hold the bill to the proposed $284 billion level and has threatened to veto the measure if it rises above that figure.

Although the dollar figure is the same as a bill approved by the House last week, the bills differ from each other. The Senate bill mirrors one passed last year by the Senate.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said there would be amendments on the Senate floor that could boost the spending level. He said a $318 billion figure approved by the Senate last year would let each state by get back 95% of the gasoline taxes they pay, for road spending projects, Bloomberg said.

Congress has enacted six temporary extensions of the law since 2003 as lawmakers negotiate. The most recent extension ends May. 31.

(Click here for previous coverage.)