Obama Signs Transportation Bill Extension

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has signed a three-month extension of a transportation bill to keep federal highway and transit aid flowing. The move prevents a widespread shutdown of construction projects.

The White House says Obama signed the 90-day extension before departing for Vermont Friday. The government's authority to spend money on transportation programs and levy federal fuel taxes was set to expire on Saturday.

The move sets up congressional action later this year on a long-term overhaul of transportation programs. The last long-term law expired in 2009 – this is the ninth extension since then.

Democrats estimated that as many as 1.8 million construction-related jobs were at risk without the extension. The government would also have lost about $110 million a day in uncollected gas and diesel taxes.

Comments

[Eugene Berkovich]

11:30 AM on 04/02/2012

It's remarkable that Obama has to fight for even such reasonable and fundamental things.

[bd7769]

09:14 AM on 04/02/2012

"The last long-term law expired in 2009 – this is the ninth extension since then."

This is a good example of the poor leadership coming from the white house.

[gfe]

08:59 PM on 04/01/2012

kicking the can down the road is what they are good at. extended NINE times! same issue with the debt problem / spending problem

[drum950]

07:30 PM on 04/01/2012

Ya know, if that 'dip' signed it, I would trust it.

[kikolee8]

05:49 PM on 04/01/2012

Checking

[twodamngoon]

10:26 AM on 03/31/2012

So the Old-Party wants to put off the layoff of over 2 million Americans until July.....election year politicking of course. But I think this plan will backfire on them when in July, they quit collecting the federal gas tax and the price doesn't drop ONE RED CENT!

[RonK Michigan]

10:12 AM on 03/31/2012

I do know this to be the truth......

SANTORUM/GINGRICH/ROMNEY
NONE AND DONE

[drum950]

07:31 PM on 04/01/2012

ANd, I just suppose you wan that 'dip' to remain "your" president?!? How sad.

[goleafsgo]

10:22 AM on 03/31/2012

: P

[treasuredtrophie]

09:43 AM on 03/31/2012

Why does OB care about the Highways? Gas will be so expensive so one will be able to use them. Except the working GOPer's

[Jamico Bob]

10:16 AM on 03/31/2012

I can care less about what gas costs. I have to run hi-test for my Hot Rods, Corvette, Mini Cooper and my Jeep...and for my wife's Hemi. Can run regular gas for my Victory Motorcycle. It all boils down to what you make per hour and how well of a business person you are right? And of course education. Sounds like you did not plan for the future, hey?. Or don't know what you are talkingg about. Prices go up on everything wall, every year! My advice: start saving, cause yes, it will get tight out there for you.

[O4US]

11:24 AM on 03/31/2012

The old "gas price" argument. You guys are going to have get a lot more sophisticated at your talking points than that. Wait a minute, no you won't. Look who you're appealing to ... scary.

[Jamico Bob]

12:29 PM on 03/31/2012

LOL. Hey, I like your screen name! Really. O4US...does it meam Obama For Us? Cool. OBAMA THROUH 2016. ty.

[SueEll]

09:37 AM on 03/31/2012

As much as I detest wading through road construction, I'm glad to see our run-down, cruddy looking roads steadily improving. Last summer I actually saw weeds growing through the pavement on a interstate highway in Indiana. I thought I'd made a wrong turn on a deserted road! The country's shaping up now and seeing better roads and bridges is good for the collective morale, too.

[White Paper]

09:58 AM on 03/31/2012

SueEll - absolutely! It's good to see the TARP funds at work. That was one of the goals of the president - to improve the infrastructure of this country. In doing so, it put a lot of folks back to work.

[cheo]

07:07 PM on 03/31/2012

It is good; but it's Stimulus funds which Obama and Congress passed, not TARP funds passed in 2008--those were for Wall St.

[cheo]

07:05 PM on 03/31/2012

Same in our state; Stimulus funds are creating a lot of road projects. But how do companies ready to go on projects make plans when they only get assurance of funds for a few months at a time?
That and unemployment benefits are ridiculous points for the GOP to make a stand on.

[O4US]

09:32 AM on 03/31/2012

"Another Obama failed policy", says Mitt while driving down the Obama-funded highway with his dog strapped to the roof.

[RonK Michigan]

09:37 AM on 03/31/2012

And brown slime dripping down the rear window - WAIT, that's not from the dog - OMG!!!!!

[walkerhds]

10:02 AM on 03/31/2012

Mittens and Sanctimonium are traveling together to the debates now?

[White Paper]

10:07 AM on 03/31/2012

O4US - fanned, faved and ROFLMFAO!

[treasuredtrophie]

09:26 AM on 03/31/2012

The left screwed up voting this guy in and will not admit it.

[Okieborn]

09:37 AM on 03/31/2012

I am a Proud Progressive Democrat and if you are going to make a comment , Quit the Fiction !
I am proud I voted fro President Obama and will proudly do it again , just to keep America safe from the corporate owned republican party !

[righteousindignation]

10:14 AM on 03/31/2012

Corporate-owned Republican Party? Have you seen Obama - w his UNIONS?

Unions have a stranglehold on corporations - and is an element of why the ECONOMY is bad = bad deals with UNIONS - through Democrats.

[bd7769]

09:17 AM on 04/02/2012

Obama is not a progressive, in fact there are very few progressives left in the dem party.

[SueEll]

09:39 AM on 03/31/2012

And you on the right won't even mention your former disaster of a president, he-who-must-not-be-named. Good heavens, who in their right mind would turn their country back over to the party that darned near ruined us?

[righteousindignation]

10:15 AM on 03/31/2012

President Bush, President Bush, President Bush, President Bush.

You people blaming Bush all the time - while wanting to give yr guy a FREE PASS - is not going to happen.

ABO 2012

[treasuredtrophie]

09:15 AM on 03/31/2012

Now I know why the left is up so early last day of month Welfare check day.

[brianwjones]

09:36 AM on 03/31/2012

Wait so is the left a bunch of elitist, out-of -touch college grads or are they all on welfare?

[White Paper]

10:01 AM on 03/31/2012

treasuredtrophie - is that why you are up and online? Checking your bank account to see if YOUR welfare check got posted?

Sorry but the Repugnicants of this country have dumbed down the right so much it's laughable! Check the stats on the red states that voted for TrickyRicky. Lowest in the nation in education, et al.

[Jamico Bob]

09:01 AM on 03/31/2012

Great move for OUR singing president! His popularity will continue an up-trend the closer we get to November. Say yes now! OBAMA TROUGH 2016.

[RonK Michigan]

09:13 AM on 03/31/2012

Maybe when we take the House back & get 61 in the Senate, WE can change it to 2020???????
OK, OK, Maybe not.........

SANTORUM/GINGRICH/ROMNEY
NONE AND DONE

[treasuredtrophie]

09:14 AM on 03/31/2012

LOL another fool!

[scottaarrg]

08:50 AM on 03/31/2012

Obama is out getting it done in between fund-raising and fighting fires. GOPhers running around in circles burying their nuts. Obama doesn't have to work full-time because congress isn't working at all to help us move forward.

[sylvia wadlington]

08:54 AM on 03/31/2012

Great Post!

[treasuredtrophie]

09:17 AM on 03/31/2012

Look at yourself such a shame so blind.

[treasuredtrophie]

09:14 AM on 03/31/2012

Yup sign a bill fly the big bird using 11,000 gallons a hour of oil he hates. Funny thing.

[Turkeyrun]

09:19 AM on 03/31/2012

How many gallons of fuel were use by Bush going from DC to Crawford, Texas for nearly weekly vacations. I guess it was because he loved oil. Funny thing, yes.

[RonK Michigan]

09:23 AM on 03/31/2012

11,000 - That one of those Fox News[sic] "numbers" that they continuously pull out of someplace dark and moist???????

[N8tracks]

08:49 AM on 03/31/2012

If you argue with the troIIs, you deserve their company.

[scottaarrg]

09:15 AM on 03/31/2012

So true, but they are so effing stu/pid, it's hard not to.

[treasuredtrophie]

09:18 AM on 03/31/2012

Heard your momma joined the Tea Party.