Contact:

Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-9797

Katie Brown Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-2160            

Bipartisan Highway Bill Moving To Senate Floor

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, applauded today's markup of the financing provisions that will be included in S. 1813, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21), in the Finance Committee.  Now that MAP 21 has been marked up in the Senate Environment and Public Works, Banking, Commerce and Finance Committees, it will proceed to the Senate floor.

"With bipartisan support, the highway bill now moves to the Senate Floor," Senator Inhofe said. "I appreciate the hard work of the Senate Finance Committee to come to a solution on how to fund our highway bill. Today's progress is the culmination of the bipartisan efforts we have already seen in the Banking and Environment and Public Works Committees, and I look forward to these efforts continuing on both sides of the aisle as we move forward. The next step is to get this bill to the floor as soon as possible so that we can proceed to conference.

"Passage of the highway bill is crucial, as the Highway Trust Fund is due to run out of money next year.  So, we have two choices:  we can do an extension and be forced to bail out the Highway Trust Fund down the road, or we can pass this bill, which contains much-need reforms and is paid for in a bipartisan manner.

"I hope Congress renews its commitment to transportation infrastructure and comes together to support this bill, which is one of the best ways to help get this nation back on track."

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