The Senate has appointed seven Republicans and six Democrats to negotiate with the House and try to has out an agreement on a long-term highway funding bill before the current extension expires on November 20.
Lawmakers are optimistic they will be able to reach an agreement and send a bill to President Obama before the deadline.
Both the Senate and the House have passed bills guaranteeing at least three year of highway and transit spending, but Congress still needs to come up with a way to pay for the final three years of the proposed six-year bill.
(more on the start of Senate/House negotiations on the $325 billion highway funding bill...)
