© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Other

Bond Says Highway Bill Won't Raise Deficit

(UPI file)

By Kevin Lavery, KWMU

St. Louis – Missouri Republican Senator Kit Bond says a highway bill now in the U.S. House will not raise the federal deficit.

The Senate has approved a six-year, $318 billion highway package. But the White House wants to spend less on the measure, and threatens to veto the legislation.

Bond says his argument to the president is that the bill is already paid for.

"Not a penny goes onto the deficit, because the finance committee has put back into the highway trust fund funds that were previously taken out of it," Bond said. "And this bill will not only meet our highway needs, but it will create about 90,000 jobs this year. It will provide much safer roads for all of the traveling public."

The House is considering a two-year highway plan.

Bond says he hopes Congress can pass a compromise bill by the end of this month.

Other