The idea that this Congress could draft and support responsible tax reform is a comical pipe-dream so, with that in mind, House Republicans are preparing to pass a temporary extension of federal highway funding.
President Obama will sign an $8 billion highway patch that is being voted on Wednesday by the House, the White House said, despite an earlier veto hint by Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
House Republicans unveiled an approximately $8 billion highway patch Monday evening that would extend federal transportation spending until December as a July 31 deadline for expiration of the current highway bill looms large in Washington.
As we've been over several times here, House Republicans sought to fund a long-term funding bill with a voluntary corporate tax on repatriated profits. The chances that their plan could pass were precarious at best even before Inquisitor Grover Norquist told them not to pass a voluntary tax.
Obviously, their plan is not going to pass today, tomorrow, or in December when this extension expires. And even if it did pass the House, neither the Senate or the president would approve it.
Other Republicans have a far more batshit idea for funding the highway system. Or perhaps I should say they have an idea for not funding the highway system.