Wednesday: Highway funding, coal regulation

by Jordain Carney - 07/22/15 10:07 AM ET

The Senate could try again Wednesday to move forward with a long-term highway bill, after Democrats blocked the legislation saying that they wanted more time to read the proposal.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) unveiled a six-year highway bill, which includes three years of funding, on Tuesday.

{mosads}But Democrats, along with several Republicans, blocked moving forward with the legislation on a procedural vote Tuesday afternoon, arguing that they needed more time to read the bill.

McConnell and other top Republicans expressed optimism after the failed vote that they would be able to vote again as soon as Wednesday.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also suggested separately to reporters that Democrats likely only needed an extra day to study the legislation.

But a vote in the Senate has yet to have been scheduled. Senate Democrats are expected to huddle at a party lunch to discuss the proposal.

Meanwhile, in the House, lawmakers are expected to take up legislation on coal ash regulations, along with a handful of amendments to the proposal.

First votes in the House are expected between 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., with final votes between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Tags Barbara Boxer Dick Durbin Mitch McConnell