The Boxer/Inhofe amendment, much discussed but never actually presented on the Senate floor, is dead, we’re told. It would have added up to $50 billion in highway (and possibly other infrastructure) funding to the stimulus bill.
A source involved in the negotiations over the amendment says that Boxer’s colleagues on the Environment and Public Works committee were not pleased with it and that there were also jurisdictional conflicts with members of the Appropriations committee.
Rail advocates and environmental groups were up in arms about the ammendment’s potential to tip the balance of transportation spending dramatically toward roads and away from transit. Campaigns to apply public pressure to the senator sprung to life Tuesday and apparently had their intended effect.
UPDATE: See our latest on this - in the tumult prevailing in the Senate, it could mayyybe have new life. (Fri.11:15 a.m.)
February 6th, 2009 at 1:02 am
[...] Inhofe/Boxer stimulus bill amendment for $50 billion in additional infrastructure funds appears to be dead, with official word expected soon from Senator Harry Reid’s office. Sources close to the [...]
February 6th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
[...] amendment by Barbara Boxer and James Inhofe to add up to $50 billion in new highway spending was stoppered up in the Senate after a handful of Democrats who wanted stronger environmental protections apparently [...]