House Passes Budget That Maintains Highway Spending Levels

The U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 12 voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bipartisan budget deal that cuts $23 billion from the deficit and maintains current highway spending levels through fiscal year 2014.

The 332-94 vote sends the deal to the Senate, which is expected to vote the week of Dec. 16. Negotiated by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R- Wis.), the Bipartisan Budget Act calls for just over $1 trillion annually in government spending in 2014 and 2015.

As of Sept. 30, the Highway Trust Fund is expected to be insolvent, and the budget deal struck this week does not address that issue. Billions of dollars in transfers have been needed in recent years to keep the trust fund solvent as revenue from the federal fuel tax has dwindled.

Murray and Ryan said their plan will avoid a government shutdown in January such as the one in October that closed down most government operations for 16 days. The deal eliminates $63 billion in sequester cuts and boosts federal worker retirement contributions and aviation security fees to offset spending increases.