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AEDNews - Construction Equipment Industry News Highway Program Back Up and Running Following Temporary Shutdown On March 2, two days after the federal highway program was brought to a grinding halt, the Senate enacted a 30-day extension of the SAFETEA-LU surface transportation law with bipartisan support, 78-19. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) initiated a filibuster in opposition to legislation containing 30-day extensions of unemployment benefits, the highway program, and other “must pass” tax items. Bunning wanted the legislation offset by cuts elsewhere in the budget or the use of unobligated stimulus funds. After Republican members of the Senate began taking to the Senate floor to express their dissatisfaction with him, Bunning finally relented to the political pressure and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) promptly brought the bill to the Senate floor for consideration. House Finally Approves Senate Jobs Bill Nearly 48 hours after Bunning surrendered, the House approved the Senate jobs bill, 217-201. The House included minor tweaks to the Senate passed legislation, including an amendment at the urging of members of the Blue Dog Democrat Coalition, to offset new spending to comply with House budgetary rules. The more liberal members of the House Democratic caucus opposed the Senate jobs bill, asserting that the legislation was too small to have an impact. The Senate jobs bill contains an extension offederal surface transportation programs through the end of calendar year 2010 at the current investment levels and provides an additional $19.8 billion so the Highway Trust Fund can meet its obligations until the end of 2010. The legislation also restores lost contract (spending) authority from the $8.7 billion rescission SAFETEA-LU required on Sept. 30, 2009. And as a bonus, the package also contains an extension of higher Sec. 179 expensing levels, an AED priority. The Senate must once again approve the bill because of the House amendment. It is unclear when the Senate will consider the jobs legislation. This week the Senate will complete work on a tax extenders package and possibly move to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill before taking up the jobs bill again. Article Date: 03-08-2010 Source: Associated Equipment Distributors Copyright(C) 2010 Associated Equipment Distributors. All Rights Reserved. | ||||||
AEDNews is the weekly electronic newsletter published by Associated Equipment Distributors, providing the construction equipment distribution industry with timely news and information related to the equipment business.