Legislative Update: House Approves Multi-Year Highway Bill Containing Funding for ADHS March 2005

On March 10, 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a multi-year highway bill to replace the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The measure provides annual funding of $470 million for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) through fiscal year 2009. The bill also adds 12 counties to the Appalachian Region. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is scheduled to begin work on its version of the highway bill shortly, with the goal of a Senate vote in early April. The ADHS and other highway programs are currently operating under a short-term extension of the TEA-21 legislation that expires at the end of May.