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 Jun. 15, 2012 National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) reports: The conference committee charged with coming to a final agreement on long-term surface transportation legislation ran into new and politically-charged roadblocks this week, threatening the effort just weeks before current law expires. Negotiations appeared to break down for political reasons, with bill leaders from both parties making negative statements in the press even as talks toward a compromise continue. The 47-member committee is charged with bridging the gap between the House's five-year, $260 billion extension and the Senate's two-year, $109 billion bill. Federal surface transportation law provides for construction projects around the country and authorizes the federal gas tax that pays for them. The law also typically includes provisions related to railways and waterways. Current surface transportation law expires on June 30. For fiscal and political reasons, the law has been extended a number of times since 2009, when the last long-term transportation measure expired. Like most legislative efforts, the surface transportation reauthorization is also running up against a tight legislative schedule, with just two weeks left in the legislative period before the Fourth of July recess and five weeks between the Fourth of July and the scheduled beginning of August recess. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said any short-term extension his chamber would consider needs to run through the November elections. NAWG has strongly supported a number of rail customer protections and ag trucking provisions included in the Senate-passed version of the transportation bill. Association staff will continue follow its path as the deadline nears and update state associations as needed. More on the rail provisions is available online at www.wheatworld.org/transportation. Tweet |
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