Highway Trust Fund $7 Billion Band-aid Passes Both Houses

After cruising through the House Wednesday on a vote of 363 to 68, the $7 billion interim appropriation from general Treasury funds to tide the Highway Trust Fund over the Congressional August recess sailed through the Senate late Thursday on a vote of 79 to 17. Proposed Republican amendments to take the cash from stimulus appropriations rather than general revenues were thoroughly trashed on the Senate floor. Nevertheless, the stark controversy about whether to work towards a prompt six year reauthorization when Congress comes back into session in September, or to push through a temporary 18 month reauthorization deferring the touchy discussion of needed new revenue sources until after midterm elections, remains unresolved.