With a March 4 expiration of the latest short-term extension looming, HR 662 is expected to come up on the House floor the week of Feb. 28, after Congress returns from a one-week recess Feb. 21-25 in observation of Presidents Day.

The seven-month extension would give the House and Senate time to draft a six-year reauthorization measure and move it through both chambers. President Barack Obama, as part of his FY 2012 budget submission, this week called for a $556 billion six-year surface transportation measure. (see related story)

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica, R-Florida, has vowed to get a long-term bill enacted by September. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has urged Congress to complete the measure no later than the summer recess that is scheduled to begin Aug. 9.

House T&I Committee Begins Field Hearings on Reauthorization

In addition to approving the seven-month transportation authorization extension, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week also began a series of field hearings and listening sessions to gain public input on policies and funding levels for the six-year bill.

The first field hearing occurred Monday in Beckley, West Virginia, hosted by Rep. Nick Rahall, D-West Virginia and ranking minority member of the House T&I Committee.

Rahall praised witnesses for their tenacity and diligence in working for better transportation opportunities in southern West Virginia. He stressed the direct link between quick, efficient, and safe transportation and a growing economy.

"So many are working so hard in West Virginia to move forward with a number of critical highway corridors such as the I-73/74 King Coal Highway, the Coalfields Expressway, the work being done in Logan County on Route 10, and elsewhere, such as the New River Parkway and the Shawnee Parkway," Rahall said in a statement.

A theme expressed by many at Monday's hearing was the challenges Congress will face in the coming months to fund such investments.

"Small, rural states like West Virginia face special challenges when it comes to funding highway construction," Rahall said. "Many of the options available to more urban, populous areas simply do not work in places like West Virginia."

West Virginia Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox noted that West Virginia has the sixth largest state-maintained highway system in the country. He emphasized how critical federal funds are to highways in the state.

Also Monday, a committee listening session was held in Charleston, West Virginia.

The House T&I Committee has scheduled more than 10 public hearings and listening sessions across the country to gather information from local communities regarding transportation needs. Details are available on the committee's hearings page at transportation.house.gov/hearings. Three sessions that had been scheduled for Thursday and today in Pennsylvania and New York state were postponed due to an extended House floor session this week.