Contact: Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Wednesday, September 22, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC – Last night Senator Bond and Senator Reid introduced a 6-month extension of TEA-21, the nation's highway and mass transit legislation. Currently the bill is slated to expire at the end of this month.

"We have all been working long and hard to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, but it's a tricky thing. We are getting there, but we are not quite there yet," said Bond. "Senator Reid and I agree that we need to be prepared to extend the program to keep the system running, and that's exactly what this legislation is intended to do. It's a 6-month extension, which allows us to continue our difficult negotiations and keep the pressure on."

"Last night Senator Reid and I introduced this extension and we did it alone. We acted so we would have something ready-to-go should the need arise. I want a highway bill, and I want it yesterday. But I will not support a bad bill just for the sake of having one. I will continue to fight for a bill that gives Missouri and the rest of the nation the money it needs to make our roads and highways safer and creates jobs."