Boxer, D-California, briefed organizations including the American Association for State Highway and Transportation Officials about her plans to also hold a markup Sept. 8 on the two-year reauthorization measure she outlined last month with Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma and ranking minority member of the EPW Committee. (see July 22 AASHTO Journal story) Congress returns from summer recess after Labor Day -- the Senate on Sept. 6 and the House on Sept. 7. State transportation officials are using the month-long recess to stress the urgency of Congress acting to extend federal highway and transit programs at current funding levels. (see related story)

During Thursday's call, Boxer told stakeholders that the four-month extension will be "clean," meaning free of any policy changes. It would continue existing funding levels through January. The current levels have been frozen since Fiscal Year 2009, when the last multiyear federal surface transportation authorization law known as "SAFETEA-LU" expired.

Boxer said she continues working with members of the Senate Finance Committee to identify revenue sources to pay for continuing current federal levels another two years. Without additional revenues, the Highway Trust Fund will not be able to maintain current investment levels for highways and mass transit over the next several years.

Should revenue offsets not be agreed upon by the Sept. 8 markup, Boxer said committee consideration of the two-year reauthorization bill could be postponed.