Cornyn: Highway patch buys time for fall conference

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Tuesday that a temporary transportation funding extension proposed by the House could set up a fall conference between the chambers on the future of the nation’s road and transit spending. 

Senate leaders signaled Tuesday afternoon that they will accept the House’s temporary transportation funding extension to prevent an interruption in infrastructure spending that is currently scheduled to occur on Friday. 

Cornyn framed the decision to punt as a set-up for a potential conference between Senate and House leaders when lawmakers return to Washington after their traditional August recess. 

{mosads}”We have an important vote tomorrow morning and then we have a vote on final passage vote, I believe it’s on Thursday,” he said during a speech on the Senate floor.  

“In the meantime, the House is going to send us a three-month bill which will give us the necessary time for the House to consider their own transportation bill and then to get us to a conference where we can reconcile the difference,” Cornyn continued. “In the past, if that’s any indication, that will give us even greater opportunity to influence the ultimate outcome in a way that improves this product in a bicameral and bipartisan sort of way.”   

The Senate’s decision to accept the House’s proposed temporary highway funding extension appears to be the endgame of a fight about transportation funding that has divided lawmakers along cameral instead of party lines. 

The Senate has pushed to approve a three-year transportation funding package that would authorize six years worth of spending if lawmakers can come up with the rest of the money later. 

Cornyn said Tuesday that he would have preferred the House to pass the Senate’s long-term bill, but he said he can accept a three-month package if it leads to a conference on a longer infrastructure funding soon. 

“To me the best news… is now it looks like we’ve got the House thoroughly engaged, so now it’s not just a question of this bill or nothing,” he said. “Perhaps if experience is any guide, we could come up with something even better by  collaborating with our House colleagues.”  

Cornyn added that he is glad both chambers are now talking about long-term transportation bills, even as Congress appears to be lining up for another punt on the issue this week.  

“To me the most important thing about what we’re doing is the fact that we’re going to do it not on another temporary patch, which we’ve done I’m told 33 different times, but we’re actually going to pass a three-year highway bill,” he said.