Highway bill extension likely as House puts plans on hold

House plans to reauthorize the nation’s surface transportation program are on hold until at least mid-April, making another extension of the current program a necessity before the March 31 deadline, according to NSSGA. The length of that extension is not yet known. The Senate had passed a two-year, $109 billion bill on March 14, putting pressure on the House to strike a deal on the program that helps fund the repair of the nation’s roads and bridges. But the timing wasn’t right for the House, whose push for a five-year, $260 billion program was stymied in recent weeks after disagreement on funding provisions in its legislation. NSSGA continues to push for a multi-year bill that at least maintains level funding.