GOP Senator Talks with Obama on Transport Policy

Republican Sen. George Voinovich, Ohio, opened a door to a possible Senate deal on transportation policy, saying he will vote to support a Democratic plan to aid small businesses and is talking with President Obama about a surface transportation bill.

Transport policy experts have long said that while the House could be expected to quickly pass a long-term spending plan once it sees the White House engaged, the holdup to fast action would be from the Senate where Republicans could mount a filibuster to block legislation they do not like.

That could still happen, and many GOP lawmakers oppose any kind of tax hike to fund an expanded transportation program. But Voinovich gave a couple of signals this week that he could use his remaining months in the Senate before he retires to push legislation even if his party leaders oppose it.

In interviews with the Washington Post and the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, Voinovich said he will give his support next week to a Democratic measure sought by President Obama to give new tax breaks and borrowing help to small businesses. The Senate broke for its August recess without approving that measure; it returns next week.

The senator also told the Post he will work with the president to help pursue a six-year surface transportation program, which would replace the one that expires at the end of December. He sent Obama an Aug. 31 letter urging action on long-term transport legislation, and said Obama called him to discuss it on Labor Day, the same day the president unveiled his proposals.

Voinovich is a member of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over large parts of the transportation bill, and is on the Appropriations Committee's transportation panel. He has long called for the administration to engage on transportation issues beyond the stimulus spending it is distributing, and to hike the gasoline and diesel taxes to raise money to improve infrastructure.

Neither in the newspaper interviews nor in a statement posted this week on his Web site did Voinovich endorse the president's transport plans. And the senator made clear he prefers that Obama call for a straightforward increase in federal fuel taxes to pay the costs of extra transportation spending, rather than an indirect tax on oil and gas companies that the administration is reportedly considering.