Congress passes highway bill, reauthorizes Sportfish fund
The boating industry got some good news Thursday as both the U.S. House and Senate passed the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015.
The $300 billion act authorizes transportation projects for six years and is the longest-lasting transportation bill in years. It also funds the Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund for five years. The SRBTF is an important source of funding for many state and local projects that affect fishing and boating.
The bill now heads to President Obama for his signature. The White House has said the president will sign the bill.
The law also includes a reauthorization of the Export-Import bank, which several marine industry leaders had identified as important to preserving U.S. jobs. (Read Bill Yeargin’s blog on that here.)
