Senate Passes Six-Year Highway Bill

The U.S. Senate today passed the DRIVE Act, a major transportation funding bill that would provide long-term certainty for federal highway projects. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is a member of the committee that wrote the bill, and successfully included a new "Assistance for Major Projects Program" which would provide funding to assist states in completing large, important, and expensive projects like reconstruction of Rhode Island's 6-10 Connector.

"Rhode Island badly needs a long-term highway bill to create jobs, grow our economy, and make our roads and bridges safer," said Whitehouse, who has been a persistent advocate for a six year bill and an ally of the lead Democratic negotiator, Senator Barbara Boxer, as she crafted the compromise with the Republican Leader. "This bill would provide the certainty our state needs to take on important projects like reconstruction of the 6-10 Connector while also providing steady funding for an array of bridge and road repairs. I'm disappointed that the House is refusing to take up this bill before leaving town for August, but I'm hopeful we will be able to work with them to pass this important legislation in the fall."

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