Congress Extends the Extensions

“To build our nation’s infrastructure and put people to work, we need long-term authorizations of these programs,” offered Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Well, here we go again. The extension to the Surface Transportation Bill (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - SAFETEA-LU) was set to expire Sept. 30, 2011.

Bush senior signed the $284 billion bill into law Aug. 10, 2005. That bill expired Sept. 30, 2009. In lieu of passing a new bill, Congress keeps “extending” the old bill.

SAFETEA-LU funds our surface transportation infrastructure: interstate highways, aviation programs, freight rail operations, transit systems, and bicycling and pedestrian ways.

While Congress debated the most recent reauthorization, President Obama asked legislators to pass a “clean” bill extension of the bill to obviate furloughing thousands of workers immediately and losing nearly $1 billion in highway funding.

On Sept. 13, 2011, the House approved an extension of the bill to maintain current funding programs until March 31, 2012. Will the 2012 Congress gets around to passing a new SAFETEA-LU?