Legislative Update: President Obama Signs Legislation Extending Federal Highway Programs through March 2012; Senate Appropriations Committee Passes FY 2012 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill

On September 16, 2011, President Barack Obama signed legislation (P.L. 112-30) extending authorization of federal highway programs, including the Appalachian Development Highway System, through March 2012. The U.S. Senate had passed the bill on September 15; the U.S. House of Representatives approved it on September 13. The previous authorization, which was also an extension, was to expire on September 30. The last multi-year authorization of highway programs (SAFETEA-LU) expired on September 30, 2009.

On September 7, the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved its FY 2012 energy and water development appropriations bill, which contains ARC's nonhighway program funding. The bill provides $58.024 million for ARC, a reduction of 15 percent from the agency's FY 2011 funding level. Full Senate action on the bill has not yet been scheduled. The House approved its version of the legislation (H.R. 2354) on July 15. It contains $68.4 million for ARC, roughly level with the Commission's FY 2011 funding.