Biden signs 30-day extension of highway funding

President BidenJoe Biden Progressives hit back after moderates targeted Pelosi John Kerry expresses optimism about the upcoming climate summit. Biden’s Justice Red Queen: How he destroyed both the investigation and the reputation of border officers MORE on Saturday signed a 30-day extension to highway funding after it was passed earlier today by the Senate, according to a White House statement.

The Senate met again for a brief session to pass the 2021 Surface Transportation Extension Act after Republicans did not allow legislation to clear up quickly on Friday after it was passed in the House in a 361-51 votes.

The bill was sent to Biden’s office after Congress failed to re-authorize funding for highway and transit construction programs before its deadline in late September.

The Department of Transportation had to lay off about 3,700 workers on Friday because the funding was not passed. The holidays pressured both houses of Congress to act quickly and pass the short-term authorization before next week.

Congress did not re-authorize long-term highway funding after two laws, including the money, were not passed.

The funding was incorporated into a $ 1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure program passed by the Senate. The bill was supposed to be put to a vote in the House this week, but was delayed after Progressive Democrats threatened to defeat the bill without a social spending bill.

Biden traveled to Capitol Hill amid infighting between moderates, who would like to see the bipartisan bill passed, and progressives who want to see a $ 3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” bill made . Biden later told the moderates that the vote on the $ 1.2 trillion package would not take place on Friday.

Saturday, Speaker of the House Nancy PelosiNancy Pelosi Progressives hit back after moderates targeted Pelosi Trump teases Schumer about occasional Ocasio-Cortez challenge Senate Democrats reduce Manchin tension MORE (D-Calif.) Has set a new end-October deadline for the bipartisan package to pass.

“There is a surface transport authorization deadline of October 31, after a critical 30-day extension passed last night. We have to pass the BIF long before that – the sooner the better, to get the jobs there ”, Pelosi said in a letter on Saturday.