Senate agrees on $11 billion highway funding measure

WASHINGTON — The Senate is moving toward passage of an $11 billion measure to temporarily fix a multibillion-dollar shortfall in federal highway and transit programs.

The chamber reached agreement Wednesday that sets up a vote next week on several alternatives. But senators will likely end up simply adopting a measure that passed the GOP-controlled House by a sweeping bipartisan vote last week, which would send it directly to President Barack Obama.

The House bill would provide $10.8 billion to keep the federal Highway Trust Fund solvent through May 2015. The fund pays for transportation programs nationwide. The money would come from pension tax changes, customs fees and a fund to repair leaking underground fuel storage tanks.

The measure is among the few must-do items before Congress goes on a five-week vacation in August.

ASSOCIATED PRESS