As yet another cutoff of federal transportation funds approaches, House and Senate negotiators are about to sit down to begin formal talks aimed at developing a new, multi-year transportation bill. The House named its 52 conferees on June 3, following the Senate's naming of its contingent in late May. The first formal meeting of the two sides may take place on June 9, says Will Hart, spokesman for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Environment panel Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the Senate's lead conferee, is "pleased that the house has appointed conferees and [he] looks forward to getting to work," says Hart.