April 23, 2012

The U.S. Senate has taken the next steps towards proceeding to a House-Senate conference on the surface transportation reauthorization bill (S. 1813). Moments ago, under a previous unanimous consent agreement, the Senate took up H.R. 4348 (the House-passed "shell" bill), replaced that bill's text with the text of S. 1813, passed the bill as amended, insisted on its amendment, requested a conference with the House, and named the following conferees (in the ratio of 8 Democrats to 6 Republicans):

Democrats: Boxer, Baucus, Rockefeller, Durbin, Johnson (SD), Schumer, Nelson (FL), Menendez

Republicans: Inhofe, Vitter, Hatch, Shelby, Hutchison, Hoeven

The next step is up to the House of Representatives, which must formally disagree to the Senate amendment, agree to go to a conference, and appoint its own conferees.