Reid: Senate must address highway bill after recess

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) believes he has found a positive underneath the pile of chaos created by the debt limit debate: bipartisan momentum. Reid hopes Republicans and Democrats can continue to work together to get a new highway bill passed when Congress returns from August recess.

“I’m optimistic and hopeful that the spirit of compromise that has taken root in Washington over the last several days will endure,” he said. “We have a highway bill that’s due. I’ve spoken to the chairman of the Finance Committee [Max Baucus] and there are ways we can fund that.”

The current highway funding extension expires on Sept. 30, and currently on the Senate table is a two-year, $109 billion measure, which originally had a $12 billion shortfall. On Aug. 3, Transportation Watch reported that Baucus (D-Mont.) had found a way to fund the gap. However, after hearing the development one Roads & Bridges insider questioned where the money was coming from, and the Baucus camp was not going into any details.