The minority leader of the Senate on Monday denounced Republican plans to pass a two-month extension of federal highway programs, and accused the GOP of mismanaging the chamber.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., criticized claims by Republicans that since their takeover in January, the Senate has accomplished more than when Democrats were in control.
“Is the Senate working better than ever?” Reid said Monday. “I don’t think so. America is one big pothole.”
Reid, who was quoting a phrase used often by former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, said Republicans should have found a way to pass a long-term highway authorization measure before the current law expires at the end of the month.
“Before the Republicans hit town here, we used to do long-term highway bills,” Reid said. “They have stood in the way of doing that.”
The highway authorization law has been extended in short spurts for many years now, thanks in part to a disagreement over funding. Republicans want to reduce spending improve efficiency, while Democrats want to raise taxes to pay for road improvements. Some have called for a hike in the federal gas tax to provide additional funding.
Republicans, who were working behind the scenes to write a long-term measure, said Monday that the talks failed because Democratic leaders told their rank-and-file to walk away from the negotiations with the GOP.
“For a time, it appeared as though at least some of our colleagues on the other side were willing to work with us on this general framework,” said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. But he said Democrats walked away “at the urging of their leadership here in the Senate.”
Hatch said the Senate would take up a bill authorizing highway funding until July, when funding officially runs out.
Hatch called the short-term proposal “the only option left after Democrats failed to engage in meeting us halfway with a balanced package of compliance revenue and spending reductions.”
