Obama signs 2-month extension for highway funding, calls for end of patches

Updated Jun 2, 2015

Traffic on highwayPresident Barack Obama signed a two-month extension of the Highway Trust Fund into law May 29.

According to a report from The Hill, Obama signed the bill to extend the funding, but the administration took time to call for an end to the constant patches for infrastructure funding. Press secretary Josh Ernest said the White House hopes D.C. lawmakers will look for other options like closing tax loopholes to pay for road funding.

“It’s the president’s view that the era of short-term patches … must come to an end,” Earnest said.

Obama’s signing of the patch marks the 33rd short-term extension of transportation funding since 2008.

The signing followed months of discussion on transportation funding leading up to the prior May 31 deadline, but nothing long-term could be decided on.

The House of Representatives passed the patch earlier this month and the Senate followed suit a few days later before breaking for Memorial Day.