Mica Could Support A Short-Term Extension Of Highway Program

Following President Obama’s call for an extension of the federal highway bill when Congress returns to Washington next week, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said Tuesday he is open to a short-term extension of the bill. 


Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) has previously said he would only support a long-term Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) bill. The bill allows the federal gas tax to be collected and appropriates money from it to road projects in states 


But with the current version of the measure set to expire Sept. 30, Mica said Tuesday he’d consider passing an eighth short-term extension. 


“In the interest of getting Americans back to work and moving vital transportation legislation, Republicans are committed to working with the president and congressional Democrats,” he said in a news release. “Republicans have offered positive and financially responsible alternatives to get these measures moving. As chairman of the House Transportation Committee, I will agree to one additional highway program extension, this being the eighth of the overdue transportation reauthorization.”

In a speech Tuesday at the White House, Obama used the bully pulpit of the presidency to cast the passage of a federal highway bill in employment terms. 


“If we allow the transportation bill to expire, over 4,000 workers will be furloughed without pay,” Obama said. “If it’s delayed for merely 10 days, we will lose almost $1 billion in highway funds. That’s money we can never get back.


“That’s just not acceptable. It’s inexcusable to put more jobs at risk in an industry that’s already one of the hardest hit in the last decade.”  


Obama also argued for Congress to pass an extension of the bill to fund the Federal Aviation Administration. The current version of the bill, passed this month after a two-week partial shutdown of the FAA, expires Sept. 16. 

thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/highways-bridges-and-roads/179071-mica-opens-door-to-short-term-highway-bill-extension

smartbrief.com