Thomas E. Petri: “The legislation now before us will continue for an additional 2 months the highway construction, highway safety…”

“The legislation now before us will continue for an additional 2 months the highway construction, highway safety, transit, motor carrier and surface transportation research programs. This bill is necessary in order to give the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and our colleagues in the Senate time to conference our two versions of the multiyear surface transportation bill. H.R. 4219 provides over $31 billion in new funding authority, which reflects 9 months' worth, or nine-twelfths of the budget authority and associated outlays in the 2004 budget resolution that Congress passed earlier this year. Although H.R. 3550 is funded at a much lower level than it was originally introduced, $275 billion in guaranteed funding instead of the $375 billion the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure supported, it is a balanced and good bill that will help stimulate and support the economy, decrease congestion and make our highways safer.”