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A $10.8 billion bill to boost the Highway Trust Fund through May passed the House and Senate on July 31, shortly before lawmakers left Washington for a five-week recess.

House GOP leaders scheduled a floor vote July 31 on their original $11 billion plan to shore up a cash-strapped federal highway account through May, in order to prevent the Department of Transportation from having to delay payouts to states Aug. 1.

The Senate on July 29 easily voted to send the House a nearly $8 billion bill that would fund federal highway programs through December, a move meant to force lawmakers to agree on a long-term funding plan for transportation construction projects nationwide.

The chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee on July 28 criticized the primary source of funding for a House bill that would shore up the Highway Trust Fund, a day before the Senate is expected to vote on the legislation.

With only two weeks remaining until Congress adjourns for the summer, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and the 11 secretaries of transportation before him urged Congress to pass a bill to boost the Highway Trust Fund before that account runs out of money next month.

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he thinks there will be enough senators next week who will support a 10-month Highway Trust Fund fix, legislation that easily advanced out of the House on July 15.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will continue to advocate for long-term funding to pay for highway construction projects during an appearance at the National Press Club today at 1 p.m. EDT.