House T&I to Take Up Multiyear Highway Bill in a Few Weeks

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is likely to mark up a multiyear highway bill at the end of September or early October, a committee aide told Transport Topics on Sept. 11.

A few members of the T&I panel had been saying a highway bill would be marked up on Sept. 17. That date was not publicly confirmed by T&I staff.

Shortly after the Senate advanced a six-year highway bill in July, committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) had expressed interest in taking up a long-term bill this fall. Shuster, however, was recently reported as saying a short-term extension of highway programs would likely have to happen this fall.

With highway funding authority expiring Oct. 29, transportation stakeholders are hopeful Congress would approve a multiyear highway bill this year.

Since 2009, Congress has approved 34 short-term funding fixes for highway programs.