Meeting of the minds

Well, the endgame for TEA-21 reauthorization has begun. The first full meeting of the House-Senate Conference Committee was held yesterday. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, is chairing the 93-member conference comprised of 63 House members and 30 Senators, according to NSSGA. The initial meeting consisted of opening statements given by the conferees. Future meetings will be held among smaller groups as they iron out the differences between the House and Senate bills. It was disturbing to learn that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), usually a reliable infrastructure supporter, has come down on the side of the house version of the bill, which is for a lower dollar amount than the Senate's version, and is consistent with the White House's vision for the bill. It is encouraging to hear Sen Kit Bond (R-Mo.) state that there are enough votes to override a presidential veto on the bill. Stay tuned. Your comment?