The House has passed yet another short-term extension of highway and transit construction programs that are set to expire on Sunday in order to avert thousands of worker furloughs and halted projects.
Lawmakers similarly passed a short-term patch a month ago when House Democrats were unable to clear the Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill that would renew the highway programs for five years.
With House Democrats still split over strategy to pass both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a social spending package, lawmakers punted on the infrastructure bill and instead passed the latest extension through Dec. 3 on a bipartisan basis in a 358-59 vote, according to The Hill.
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Michele Stanley issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to extend the surface transportation systems.
“We are once again extremely disappointed that politics in the House continues to hold hostage a bipartisan infrastructure bill that the American people are yearning for and our nation desperately needs. We call on all members of the House to put their petty differences aside and vote on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The infrastructure bill cleared the Senate almost three months ago with 69 bipartisan votes, and the question today is not whether votes can be secured to support IIJA, rather what can some members of Congress get in return for their vote before casting it. The infrastructure bill could pass today if House members voted their convictions rather than their politics. NSSGA will not stop advocating for the House to pass the IIJA before we are faced with another dire deadline that damages our economy and the livelihoods of Americans.”