Editing Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 (section)

===The contentious conference committee===
A conference committee was appointed by the House and Senate in early June 1973 to reconcile the two pieces of legislation. The committee almost immediately deadlocked over the mass transit issue.  Members of the Senate said states should be permitted to make up their own minds about transportation spending, while House members accused the Senate of "raiding" the Highway Trust Fund. While all of the Senate conferees were in favor of using highway funds for mass transit, only two of the nine House members supported this plan. Senate conferees offered a compromise, based on suggestions made by President [[Richard Nixon]] and Representative [[Donald H. Clausen]] (a Republican from California). Under this scheme, up to 20 percent of the highway trust funds raised by each state could be used either for highways or for mass transit (up to a total national limit of $800 million a year). Another $588 million would be earmarked for spending on urban highways. To pay for the mass transit program, $800 million in spending would be cut from the urban and rural primary and secondary road building program. The House conferees rejected the proposal by a vote of 5-to-4 (with one Democrat voting with the Republicans).<ref name="Russellgains" />

On other issues, the conferees were able to come to agreement much more easily. Although the House bill projected spending of $9 billion a year over three years and the Senate $7 billion a year over three years, but both sides agreed to cut spending down to $5 billion or $6 billion a year over three years. The Senate also agreed to ease requirements that states meet certain civil rights and environmental standards, which would allow a number of highway construction projects which had been held up to move forward.<ref name="Russellgains" />

After two and a half weeks of negotiations, the conference committee was still deadlocked. Pressure was mounting on the House conferees, however. Some states were due to run out of highway construction funds on June 30, and the construction industry was pressing the House conferees to give way on the mass transit issue. Furthermore, the [[1973 oil crisis]] was just beginning, causing a shortage of [[gasoline]] in the United States. The gas shortage also put pressure on the House conferees to approve funding for mass transit.<ref name="Russellgains" />

With the conference committee unable to report a bill, the Senate passed a [[continuing resolution]] on June 25 which would continue to fund highway construction in 30 states for four more months at 1970 levels.<ref name="Russellgains" /> The House was reluctant to agree to such a measure, since it would only lead to higher pressure over time for a compromise on the mass transit issue.<ref name="RussellParley">Russell, Mary. "Interim Road Bill Aim of Hill Parley." ''Washington Post.'' June 28, 1973.</ref> But with states running out of money, the House passed by voice vote a $1.5 billion highway aid continuing resolution.<ref>"$1.5 Billion Temporary Bill Passed to Continue U.S. Highway Projects." ''Washington Post.'' June 29, 1973.</ref>

The conference committee reached agreement on the mass transit issue on July 19, 1973. The key negotiators were Representative Jim Wright and Senator [[Lloyd Bentsen]], both of Texas.<ref name="RussellApprove" /> The conference committee bill allowed states to use up to $200 million of fiscal year 1975's $800 million urban highway appropriation to purchases mass transit buses. In fiscal year 1976, states could divert up to the entire $800 million urban highway appropriation to mass transit (which now included not only buses but also rolling stock as well as rail construction). The conferees also agreed to bar states from canceling sections of their planned interstates to use the money for mass transit. Some issues were still unresolved, however. Conferees had not yet reached agreement on whether states could use highway trust funds for rail operations, whether to give precedence to funding for roads which connected with the interstates, or whether to include a highway safety program in the highway aid bill or pass it as a stand-alone bill. The issue of whether to expand the Interstate Highway System was also outstanding.<ref>"Accord on Highway Bill Frees Funds for Transit." ''Washington Post.'' July 20, 1973.</ref>

A final Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 was reported out of conference committee on July 20.<ref name="RussellApprove">Russell, Mary. "Conferees Approve Highway Fund Bill." ''Washington Post.'' July 21, 1973.</ref> The conference committee had met 29 times over two months, an exceptionally high number of meetings and long period of time. On August 1, the Senate approved the conference report by a vote of 95-to-1.<ref name="MaddenVoted">Madden, Richard L. "Mass Transit Aid Voted by Senate." ''New York Times.'' August 2, 1973.</ref> The House followed suit by voice vote on August 3.<ref>Russell, Mary. "Hill Passes Road, Farm, Wage Bills." ''Washington Post.'' August 4, 1973.</ref>

The highway bill proved acceptable to President Nixon,<ref>Russell, Mary. "Brinegar Promises No Road Bill Veto." ''Washington Post.'' August 3, 1973.</ref> and he signed the bill into law on August 13, 1973.<ref>Andelman, David A. "Officials Plan for Use of Highway Funds." ''New York Times.'' August 15, 1973.</ref>