Cord Byrd: “the provisions of ISTEA, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, expired on September 30, 1997. The Senate…”

“the provisions of ISTEA, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, expired on September 30, 1997. The Senate took up the ISTEA reauthorization bill on October 8, 1997, but between that date and October 29, the Senate was unable to adopt even one substantive amendment due to the impasse over Senate consideration of campaign finance reform legislation. As a consequence, the six-year ISTEA Bill was taken down and returned to the calendar. Finally, on November 10, the Senate passed a short-term extension of our existing highway and transit programs, thus delaying the completion of Senate action on our nation's surface transportation policy until the second session of the 105th Congress, the first week of which has now passed into history. Despite the stated intentions last November of the distinguished Majority Leader to take up the ISTEA reauthorization bill, S. 1173, at the beginning of this session, the bill has not been taken up, it is not before the Senate, and we are still operating on the short-term extension. With each passing day, I am increasingly concerned that the Senate may not return to the ISTEA reauthorization bill until after action is completed on the fiscal year 1999 budget resolution, which may not occur until late spring.”