Senate Democrats expect to pass a long-delayed surface transportation bill soon after they return to Washington.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said her colleagues have identified a list of offsets that could be used cover the final $12 billion of the bill’s cost.
Shortly before Congress left town for the holidays, Boxer told The Hill that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) had put together a variety of proposals to push the legislation over the finish line.
"There's good progress going on," she said. "He's got a list of pay-fors but I'm not going to say what they are."
Senators had hoped to pass the $112 billion highway bill before the end of the year but were held up by uncertainty over the final offsets.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters last week the legislation would be among his first priorities in 2012.
Read the entire article at The Hill.
