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On Feb. 27, Congress passed a two-month extension for the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21).

The House approved the extension first, then adjourned for the weekend, forcing the Senate to either approve the House bill or allow federal surface transportation programs to shut down at midnight Feb. 29. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) wanted to attach an amendment extending the expiration date of the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but instead negotiated a compromise, according to a prepared statement.

If the Senate had not approved the extension, about 5,000 U.S. Department of Transportation employees would have been furloughed until a new bill or TEA-21 extension was passed.

"With the issue of a temporary extension behind us, we now can return our attention to the passage of a fiscally responsible, six-year surface transportation bill," said Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta. "I urge Congress to use the time provided by this second extension to give America a bill that allows states to plan and construct critical highway and transit projects without raising gas taxes, increasing the deficit or taking money from other important federal programs."

The extension will enable the House to continue negotiations on a six-year transportation reauthorization bill. Last month, the Senate passed its $318 billion version of the bill, authorizing $56.6 billion for transit, including $2 billion annually for Amtrak.