The U.S. Highway Trust Fund is running low and may start cutting back on reimbursements to states for transportation construction costs as early as this summer. Speaking to an audience in Cleveland yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden touted infrastructure spending as part of the Obama administration's campaign to get Congress to reauthorize the fund. At a rail car repair shop, Biden talked about how important rapid transit is to neighborhoods and regional economies.
Biden blamed congressional Republicans - particularly Tea Party members - for impeding necessary infrastructure investment. Most Republicans say they support replenishment of the fund but there is no consensus on how to do so.