The Senate Finance Committee on July 10 easily reported a bill to the floor that would allow the transfer of $10.8 billion for a cash-strapped highway account through next spring.

The House Ways and Means Committee on July 10 gave voice vote approval to legislation that would provide about $10 billion to keep a cash-strapped Highway Trust Fund solvent for nearly a year.

Senate Democratic leaders are getting help from Tennessee Republican Bob Corker in calling on colleagues to oppose a House Republican bill that would provide a short-term boost for the cash-strapped Highway Trust Fund, limiting the bill’s chances of passing the Senate.

The leaders of the tax-writing committee in the House scheduled a hearing July 10 to consider a bill that would keep a cash-strapped highway account solvent for several months.

For House and Senate leaders to advance a proposal this month that shores up a cash-strapped highway account they must gain support from House tea party members, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters July 7.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), a member of the influential House Budget Committee, has been calling for increasing the federal gas tax to fund large-scale transportation infrastructure projects for several years.

The National Fraternal Order of Police this week endorsed suspending a federal truck-safety regulator’s new hours-of-service rules, a proposal Senators are expected to take up before the August recess.

President Obama on June 26 nominated Christopher Hart to be the next chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

The leaders of the Senate Finance Committee said on June 26 they will plan to meet during the week of July 7 to consider a short-term patch for a cash-strapped highway account.