President signs three-month highway patch into law

user-gravatar Headshot

highwayPresident Barack Obama signed into law Friday, July 31, a bill to extend funding for the Highway Trust Fund for three months.

The previous extension, passed at the end of May, extended funding through July 31. This is Congress’ 34th stopgap surface transportation measure in a decade despite introduction of several long-term reauthorization bills.

President Obama signed the patch into law after the House passed the extension 385-34 Wednesday and the Senate passed it 91-4 Thursday.

The Senate also passed a six-year highway bill Thursday, called the DRIVE Act, but it will have to wait until September when Congress reconvenes.

When lawmakers resume work in September, they’ll have about six weeks to either pass a long-term bill or clear another short-term stopgap.