Senate Highway Bill Moves Forward Despite Hurdles

The Senate highway bill is inching closer to the finish line after a 62-32 cloture vote limited debate on H.R. 22 (known as the DRIVE Act) on Monday night, paving the way for final passage later this week. The Senate has now started a 30-hour clock on post cloture debate before the final vote will take place tomorrow. It is also important to note that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) included a two-month extension of current highway funding to keep the option available if the Senate does not act in time before the House goes into August recess. However, he decided to withdraw the substitute amendment on a two-month extension of highway funding on Monday night. The bill provides a six-year reauthorization of guaranteed contract authority to states and three years of highway and transit funding totaling $46 billion.

Monday night’s vote comes after a rare Sunday session where several amendments to the bill were voted on, including repealing the Affordable Care Act, Ex-Im Bank Reauthorization and Senator Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) amendment to block the Iran deal. The Affordable Care Act (49-43) and Iran vote failed, but the Ex-Im Bank (67-26) vote passed. Passage of the Ex-Im Bank amendment is seen as a positive sign for overall passage of the highway bill since all Democrats voted in favor and the White House supports the attachment of the Ex-Im bank to the highway bill as well.

The House has opposed the long-term highway bill; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is complicating matters even more stating that it will not take up the Senate highway bill before adjourning for August recess. Late Monday night key House leadership proposed a three-month extension in addition to the already House passed five-month extension of highway funding. Leader McConnell and Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Barbara Boxer (D-CA) have both stated that the long-term highway bill must pass now because the pay-fors will not be available in a few short months. The highway authorization for highways and transit programs will expire this Friday, July 31.

NRMCA is continuing to meet with senators and attend coalition group meetings in order to move the highway bill forward and to final passage. NRMCA, along with members of the Highway Materials Group (HMG), sent letters to every senator who had voted in support of the first procedural cloture vote on the highway bill and also letters to every senator who voted against the motion. NRMCA also urged those senators who voted against the motion to reconsider their position and support any upcoming vote for a long-term, fully funded transportation bill before the latest extension expires on July 31. In addition to NRMCA, members in the HMG include the American Coal Ash Association, American Concrete Pavement Association, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Associated Equipment Distributors, Concrete Steel Reinforcing Institute, National Asphalt Pavement Association, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association and Portland Cement Association. In addition, the Transportation Construction Coalition sent a similar letter supporting action on a long-term, fully funded bill.