June 09,2005

Baucus Comments on Highway Conferees’ Meeting


(WASHINGTON, D.C.) During the first conferee meeting of the transportation reauthorizationbill, U.S Senator Max Baucus, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, urged hiscolleagues to act quickly to complete action on the legislation before the June 30th deadline. The bill has now been extended seven times. 

In his opening statement, Baucus urged the conferees to compromise on the major issues, including the overall funding levels. The House bill is at $284 billion and the Senate bill is at $295 billion. An excerpt from the statement follows:

“The House is at $284 billion in funding and the Senate is at $295 billion. We know where we are going to be at the end of the day: in the middle. We are going to split the difference -- $290 billion. Why wait to make that decision? I am asking my colleagues to put differences aside, work together, and get this bill done.”