Lawmakers said they hope the 3-month patch — the 34th short-term transportation extension since 2009 — will be Congress' last.

In one of their last decisions before adjourning for a month, the House backed a bill that would extend spending authority for transportation programs through Oct. 29, and replenish the federal Highway Trust Fund with $8 billion.

A response to David Strom's commentary on Minnesota's gas tax.

Are broad coalitions the cooperative politics we need, or a play for spoils?

Congress is providing $11 billion to prevent a 28 percent reduction in federal highway and mass transit spending at the peak of the summer construction season.

The Obama administration is warning states that cutbacks in federal aid will start as soon as the first week in August if lawmakers don’t act on the federal Highway Trust Fund.

A state transportation bill introduced last Friday includes a gas sales tax that would help road improvement funds keep pace with inflation, an idea that has the strong support of transportation backers but is likely to face stiff resistance in an election year.