Senate

Senate sets aside short-term highway extension

by Jordain Carney - 07/27/15 10:48 PM ET

The Senate on Monday evening set aside a two-month extension of federal highway funding, as lawmakers head toward a showdown with the House on its long-term bill.

Senators agreed by a voice vote to table a two-month extension, which was offered as an amendment to the Senate’s highway bill, effectively killing the proposal for now.

{mosads}The move comes as House lawmakers have shown little interest in taking up the Senate’s six-year bill, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is hoping to ship the legislation to the lower chamber on Wednesday.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said earlier Monday that the House will not be “taking up the Senate bill,” suggesting that if lawmakers want to avoid a gap in federal infrastructure funding they have to pass a short-term bill.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), considered key in getting a deal on the Senate’s six-year bill, appeared to dismiss those comments Monday evening.

“When he made the statement, it was kind of off the cuff,” he told reporters when asked about McCarthy’s statement.

Inhofe said earlier that he was “very concerned’ about the House’s actions on the highway bill.

The Senate is expected to take an initial procedural vote on ending debate for the highway bill later Monday evening.

Tags Jim Inhofe Mitch McConnell