Highway bill passes in the US Senate with bipartisan support

A two-year, $109 billion measure providing federal funding for the nation’s roads, rails bridges and airports for the next two years passed the Senate on a 74 to 22 vote Wednesday with broad bipartisan support.

The Senate bill’s supporters — Democrats, Republicans, labor unions and business groups — say the bill will help create or sustain almost 3 million jobs, mostly in the construction industry.

Of the 22 Senators who voted against the job creating bill, all were Republican.

Despite Senate passage, the fate of federal transportation funding is unclear in the House. House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio)hasn’t ruled out a vote on the Senate bill, but his aides said this week he is still negotiating details with GOP lawmakers.