R.G. Edmonson, Associate Editor | Feb 24, 2012 11:39AM EST
House Republicans might scale back a five-year, $260 billion transportation bill, shortening its term, reducing overall spending, but restoring funding for mass transit from the Highway Trust Fund, according to published reports.
A spokesman for Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the bill a “revamp” that would still direct receipts from oil and gas drilling to the trust fund. The plan to restructure and Boener’s decision last week to push back the vote suggests the bill doesn’t have enough support in the House.
Democrats have reacted positively to the prospect of a revised bill. Rep. Nick Rahall, senior Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he and his colleagues “look forward to their reaching across the aisle and working with us to fashion a true bipartisan surface transportation bill. We will meet them at the intersection of fiscal common sense and good public policy."
Contact R.G. Edmonson at bedmonson@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobinWash.