The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee has announced its plans to introduce a “clean” six-month extension of SAFETEA-LU instead of the 18-month extension proposed by the administration.

EPW Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) say they plan to “hotline” the six-month extension of contract authority for surface transportation programs and expenditure authority from the Highway Trust Fund at gross Fiscal Year 2009 levels (gross meaning before the $11.9 billion in FY 2009 contract authority rescissions) as an amendment to the House-passed three-month extension bill, H.R. 3617. Hotlining refers to sending an e-mail request to all 100 Senate offices to see if the senators have any objections to the legislation being considered and passed by unanimous consent at the close of the day’s business.

The success of this effort relies on whether the House agrees to accept the Senate legislation as is.

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