COBLE NAMED CONFEREE ON HIGHWAY BILL
Will work with Senate for final passage

The fourth highest-ranking Republican member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee has been named as a conferee to work out the House and Senate differences on a massive six-year highway funding bill. Speaker Dennis Hastert has named U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) as one 38 GOP House conferees for H.R. 3 – The Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU).

Coble and his House colleagues will meet with their Senate counterparts following the Memorial Day district work period to work out the differences in the two versions of TEA-LU. The House version – passed on March 10 – would fund the nation’s road-building programs for the next six years at the cost of $284 billion. On May 17, the Senate passed its version with a $295 billion price tag. “I have been telling our constituents for months that this country’s transportation infrastructure is in dire shape and that we need to pass a new highway bill now,” Rep. Coble said. “I appreciate the Speaker appointing me to the conference. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work on this vital legislation immediately following our district work period.”

The White House has stated previously that President Bush will veto any bill that is above the $284 billion mark set by the House. “I hope that once the House and Senate can agree on the right number,” Coble added, “we can convince the President to sign the bill into law. We have to start upgrading our nation’s roads and bridges immediately.”

Rep. Coble noted that this bill is extremely important locally. He was successful in securing $60 million in the legislation for projects throughout the 6th District.