Legislation to provide $10.4 billion for construction has passed the House and a similar measure with slightly less new construction aid has cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee, but the outlook for the construction money is tied to related bills that would provide further funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House rejected its war-funding measure, but the Senate panel cleared its version. The tangled picture should become clearer after the congressional Memorial Day break.
In a flurry of activity on the bills on May 15, the House approved a non-war supplemental that includes $5.8 billion for flood control improvements in Louisiana and $4.6 billion for Dept. of Defense construction. But the House defeated a $162.5-billion war-funding measure.