APTA: New surface transportation bill unlikely to be approved by September deadline

From Progressive Railroading:

The prospects of the 110th Congress completing a new surface transportation authorization bill prior to Sept. 30, when SAFETEA-LU expires, is uncertain, according to an American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Legislative Alert issued yesterday.  The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is working to develop an initial draft of the authorization legislation, and hopes to introduce an outline of the bill by June's end and complete a "mark up" in the Highways and Transit Subcommittee in early July. That would allow the full committee to mark up the bill for consideration on the House floor prior to Congress' August recess, APTA said. However, the House Ways & Means Committee still must write the financing title of the bill. The committee has scheduled a hearing for June 25 to examine surface transportation priorities, but has not yet offered a timeline to complete the financing piece.