Sunday Session Clears Some Roadblocks to Highway Bill

House and Senate negotiators resolved the big issues Sunday that were holding up a major highway spending bill as they raced to complete work on the legislation before leaving for the Memorial Day recess.

After a weekend of talks, “we’ve made a lot of progress, although not all the horses are in the barn just yet,” said Sen. John H. Chafee (R-R.I.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Chafee and his House counterpart, Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), agreed not to disclose the details of the negotiations.

However, Chafee’s spokesman, Nicholas Graham, said there had been some “major breakthroughs” on the outstanding issues. He said the big issues are now behind them and what remains to be worked out are the details.

The legislation to provide $200 billion for highway and mass transit projects over the next six years is one of the largest and most complicated measures Congress will consider this year. Negotiations have been going on for weeks.

Major differences have included the state-by-state distribution of funds, House demands that $9 billion be set aside for 1,500 specific highway projects in members’ districts and Senate language that would take away funding from states that do not enact stringent 0.08 blood-alcohol content standards in their drunk driving laws.

The House bill has economic incentives for tough drunk driving laws, but House members balked at imposing a national standard.

It was uncertain if the final package will be ready when conferees formally meet today or if a bill can be passed before the recess begins at week’s end.

States have not had authority to sign new construction contracts since the previous highway act expired May 1, and there is concern that if Congress doesn’t act soon, many states, particularly in the North, will miss out on the summer construction season.

Administration officials warned last week that President Clinton will veto any bill that calls for spending levels above caps set in last year’s balanced-budget agreement and necessitating cuts in social programs. Negotiators agreed on $23 billion in offset spending cuts, with veterans’ programs facing the biggest cuts.