WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today after voting for a bill that would fund the Federal Highway Trust Fund for three years:

“Our roads, bridges, and other vital infrastructure across the country are in a terrible state of disrepair, and unless we act to fix them, not only are future generations going to pay the price – literally – to make up for our inaction, but peoples’ safety will be put at risk. If that’s not enough of a call to action, then I don’t know what it is,” Senator King said. “This bill is by no means perfect – but it’s a long-term solution that helps provide the certainty needed to invest in fixing this serious problem.”

Although the Senate passed a bipartisan bill by a vote of 65-34, the House of Representatives is not expected to consider it. Given the House’s inaction, in order to prevent the Highway Trust Fund from going insolvent before the August 1^st deadline, the Senate is expected to pass the three month extension that the House passed earlier this week. In the meantime, it’s expected that the Senate and the House will proceed to a conference on the Senate’s long-term funding bill and the House’s previously passed five month extension in hope of working out a long term solution that can meet the approval of both chambers. 

            “Another short-term extension is not my preference, and it’s not going to get the job done when it comes to fixing our infrastructure problems,” Senator King said. “But letting the Highway Trust Fund go broke is not an option. The Senate proved that a bipartisan long-term fix is possible, and I hope that we can use the next three months to work out a solution with the House that can finally put an end to the cycle of short-term fixes that have held back important investments that will improve the safety of our transportation networks and foster economic growth.”

Senator King has repeatedly called for increased investment in our nation’s roads and bridges and for the need to pass a long-term solution to funding our nation’s critical infrastructure projects. The long-term funding bill passed by the Senate also includes a provision reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and one that mirrors a bill supported by Senator King to expedite the federal permitting process for major infrastructure projects. 

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