Congress OKs Extension of FAST Act

Congress this week approved another extension of the legislation that authorizes federal transportation spending.

Lawmakers extended the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act through Dec. 3, which means that legal authority for federal agencies to dole out federal transportation dollars remains in effect until then.

Without the extension, those financial allotments would have been temporarily suspended on Nov. 1.

The House passed the extension on a 358-59 vote and the Senate adopted the extension by unanimous consent.

The FAST Act originally expired on Oct. 1 and this is the second temporary extension it has received.

A new surface transportation authorization law is included in the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act – better known as the infrastructure bill – that was approved by the Senate last summer and is now pending in the House.

A vote on the infrastructure bill was delayed on Thursday due to infighting among Democrats that is linked to another dispute over the size and scope of a budget reconciliation package.

Tags: Congress, FAST Act, federal transporttion authorization, Fixing America's Surface Transportation, infrastructure bill, Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act, surface transportation authorizations