U.S. Senate passes 30-day extension for highway funding

APD NEWS

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A temporary extension of the Highway Trust Fund has been passed by the U.S Senate on Saturday ensuring that about 3,700 federal employees will not be furloughed.

The extension is now slated to go to President Joe Biden for assent having passed the Senate by unanimous consent.

The House of Representatives had already approved a resolution extending funding for the Highway Trust Fund on Friday night.

The passing of the resolution by the House, however, happened hours after funding for the program had lapsed at midnight.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials had warned that the failure to pass the resolution "lapses our highway, transit, and highway safety programs and halts work on vital transportation infrastructure around the country, which is detrimental to our economy and the quality of life of our communities".

(CGTN)