Congress Sends Short Term Highway Trust Fund Fix to President

The House and Senate have both passed H.R. 5021 – the 10-month Highway Trust Fund fix and sent it to the President for his signature. The deal ensures that the Department of Transportation will not need to slow highway funding to states, but there is still no agreement on a long-term funding solution. The President will sign the original House proposal which transfers $10.765 billion into the HTF - $2 billion in the Mass Transit Account and $8.765 billion to the Highway Account. The transfer is offset through a combination of pension smoothing, the extension of customs duty taxes to 2024 and a $1 billion transfer from the leaking underground storage tank (LUST) Trust Fund. The fix extends the program authorization until May 31, 2015.

Before being finalized, the Senate first amended H.R. 5021 to be a shorter extension, setting up another vote on long-term funding before the end of the year. The House rejected this and the Senate ultimately passed the 10-month extension. NRMCA continues to work on a long-term Highway Trust Fund Fix.