Barbara Boxer: “We did it in the Environment and Public Works Committee. Senator Carper and I led the charge with Senators Vitter and…”

“We did it in the Environment and Public Works Committee. Senator Carper and I led the charge with Senators Vitter and Barrasso. We did our job. We were able to come together with Senator Sessions, Senator Vitter, Senator Whitehouse, and Senator Sanders--left to right--in our committee. They came together to agree on a 6-year bill. So what is the problem? It is ridiculous. Unfortunately, the House-- and this is not good--decided to kick the can down the road--I know it is a cliche, but it is true--until the end of May. Do you know what it means? It means we will not do anything until then, and it will be right up against the new construction season. Nobody will enter into a long-term contract between now and then. And so we are hoping we can change the way the House and the Finance Committee thought about it, and my colleagues have been leading on this issue. I am on the Carper-Corker-Boxer amendment that would say: Instead of funding this highway bill through next year, get our work done this year. Who is supporting getting it done this year? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, National Association of Manufacturers, Associated General Contractors, American Trucking Associations, International Union of Operating Engineers, and LiUNA.…”