House keeps five-year highway program in sight

A five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill remains under consideration in the House, despite Republican leadership pulling its five-year, $260 billion legislation from the floor, according to NSSGA. One unpopular part of the proposed bill was the elimination of the mass transit account from the highway trust fund. House Speaker John Boehner supports a five-year bill, NSSGA reported. Boehner had said earlier that a shorter, less expensive highway bill would not gather enough votes. Meanwhile, the association said it continues to engage members of Congress, leadership, staff and the committees of jurisdiction in the ongoing process. The current extension of the highway bill expires on March 31.