Cantor Omits Trade-Related Legislation From June Agenda
The House will continue to pursue passage of appropriations bills, Highway Trust Fund legislation and a number of other legislative priorities, but apparently won't advance long-awaited trade legislation as part of the June agenda, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., told the House Republican caucus in a June 6 memo. Trade bills such as Trade Promotion Authority, trade preference program renewals and Export-Import Bank renewal were absent from Cantor's agenda. The full House will likely consider three more appropriations bills in June, including agriculture and transportation legislation, the memo said. The House Appropriations Committee advanced both the agriculture and transportation bills in recent days and weeks. Cantor chided the Senate for failing to consider any appropriations bills this legislative calendar year, but praised the House for moving faster on appropriations than the chamber has done in 40 years.
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House Republicans are also hoping to take up legislation to address Highway Trust Fund insolvency, said Cantor. For months lawmakers in both chambers have expressed concern that the fund will run out of money by August (see 14050625). “Failing to provide additional funds would mean a disruption of ongoing construction projects -- right in the midst of the construction season,” said Cantor. “Given the limited window for action, we believe it is important that an offset be simple and have the support of the administration and congressional republicans. As a memo released last week stated, we are preparing a proposal that would combine a move to modified six day postal delivery along with a short-term extension of the highway bill that places the necessary resources into the Trust Fund to prevent a disruption of highway projects.”
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the memo.