Hotline #673-A

Despite debate extending over several days, the Senate still has not voted on Senator Moynihan's surface transportation bill, S.1204. However, the nucleus of the bill -- the flexibility and level-playing-field provisions -- still survives.

Right now, the Senate is hearing debates on two amendments from Senator Graham (D.-Fla.). If the two amendments are tabled, we fully expect the full Senate to approve the Moynihan bill at some point after 7:35 pm. Because we expect the bill to pass, we will not change this message again until the normal Friday evening time.

Last week, the Moynihan bill was challenged by a coalition of donor-state Senators led by Senator Warner (R.-Va.). Their bill contained none of the flexibility language and would have been very harmful. An amendment containing many of the Warner bill's provisions was introduced yesterday by Senator Graham and defeated. However, an amendment by Senator Byrd (D.-W.Va.) was approved last night that represents a compromise on the donor-state issue within the Moynihan bill, without harming the flexibility language.