The House of Representatives approved Dec. 8 a continuing resolution (HR 3082) funding the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year (until Sept. 30). The measure would also extend for nine months -- from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 -- the authorizations for federal highway, mass transit, and aviation programs. (see Dec. 10 AASHTO Journal story)

Rather than call up the House's continuing resolution as is, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, introduced a substitute Tuesday. The omnibus appropriations measure proposed by Inouye combined all 12 unpassed spending bills. It included more than $8 billion in earmarks for 6,600 specific projects, including almost $1 billion for more than 990 transportation improvements.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced Thursday evening he was withdrawing the $1.1 trillion omnibus proposed by Inouye after learning there would not be enough votes to shut off debate and move to passage. Reid said he is negotiating with Republicans to pass another continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. Some appropriations legislation is needed by week's end because Congress has not enacted any of the 12 regular appropriations bills, and the current resolution expires Saturday.

Republican leaders have called for a continuing resolution running only to Feb. 18 to allow the GOP to set spending priorities when it takes control of the House of Representatives next month.

It is unclear how the transportation provisions will be modified in the continuing resolution both chambers are working on drafting today. The House is expected to reconvene about 4 p.m. EST to consider a three-day continuing resolution to keep the government running until Tuesday, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, announced earlier this afternoon. The Senate has spent most of today debating a nuclear arms treaty with Russia and has yet to call up a continuing resolution.