Sen.
Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Environment and Public Works
Committee and a key player in the federal transportation re-write, just
released a statement hailing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s call for an 18-month extension of the existing transport law:

I am
very pleased that the White House is being proactive in working with the
Congress to address the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund.  As we work our
way out of this recession, the last thing we want to do is to drastically cut
back on necessary transportation priorities.  The White House proposal to
replenish the Trust Fund until 2011 will keep the recovery and job creation
moving forward and give us the necessary time to pass a more comprehensive
multi-year transportation authorization bill with stable and reliable funding
sources.