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Congress passes three-month transportation extension

Grain truck

Congress has passed a three-month highway and transportation extension on Thursday.  This is the 34th extension since 2009.  National Corn Growers Association says they are disappointed that it wasn’t a long-term package.  NCGA President Chip Bowling says once again Congress kicked the can down the road. “Farmers rely on our nation’s infrastructure system every day. We need safe, reliable roads and bridges to get our products to market quickly, safely and efficiently. Instead, our roads and bridges are at best, in disrepair, and at worst, unsafe or unusable – and that hurts every farmer in America.”  Eighty percent of the domestic corn crop is trucked to market, according to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. 

The Senate passed a six-year bill earlier in the day but the House adjourned for the August recess before taking it up.  With highway funding set to expire on Friday, the Senate had no alternative but to pass the three-month package approved by the House before they left.  

The bill extends the government’s authority to process transportation aid payments to states through October 29th and provides $8 billion to the federal Highway Trust Fund through mid-December.  It also contains $3.4 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs to prevent closure of hospitals and clinics across the nation.

The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature.

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) says when Congress returns in September it is expected to take up a long-term bill. 

 

 

 

 

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