As the House and Senate begin a short pre-election session, their agenda includes important construction bills that must pass before their adjournment, expected around Oct. 1. They include an omnibus spending package to fund agencies for at least several months and an extension for airport construction grants and other aviation programs. Industry and state transportation officials also hope Congress will approve an $8-billion boost for the ailing Highway Trust Fund. But with few days left before the 110th Congress ends, other industry-desired measures may not make it.
As of Sept. 8, the Senate had not passed any of the 12 appropriation bills for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. The House had cleared only one, funding military construction and veterans’ programs. That makes a massive stopgap “continuing resolution” a necessity to keep agencies running. How long will the stopgap last? Cathy Connor, Parsons Brinckerhoff senior vice president for government affairs, says she has heard it could carry through Election Day to December or January.