Democrats to launch fight on $450B highway bill

"House Democrats are about to launch an ambitious effort to move a $450 billion highway bill to President Obama’s desk by the end of September."

"This year’s bill will be bigger than the 2005 bill, which cost $286 billion and was approved months after Congress hoped it would have gone into effect. Oberstar has said he expects the 2009 bill, which would authorize funding for road and rail projects over six years, will cost about $450 billion."

"During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama said he would go through legislation line-by-line to target wasteful spending. Administration officials defended the decision to sign the $410 billion omnibus bill by arguing it represented last year’s business. "

"Lawmakers have submitted $136.3 billion in earmarked requests for local projects to this year’s highway bill, though many may not end up in the final product. The 2005 bill included $24 billion in earmarks."