Washington – Congressional Republicans decided Wed nesday to reject two Alaskan bridge projects that had demolished the party’s reputation for fiscal austerity.
Straining to show new dedication to lower spending, House and Senate negotiators took the rare step of eliminating a requirement that $442 million be spent to build the two bridges, spans that became cemented in the national consciousness as “bridges to nowhere” because of the remote territory and small populations involved.
But the change is not going to save the federal government any money. Instead, the $442 million will be turned over to the state with no strings attached, allowing lawmakers and the governor there to parcel it out for transportation projects as they see fit – including the bridges, should they choose them.
Lawmakers said widespread news coverage had turned the bridges near Ketchikan and Anchorage into symbols of congressional excess.
Some members of Congress said they got more questions at town meetings about the bridges than about the new Medicare drug program. A Republican pollster warned that the projects were a political albatross.
“You can’t defend it,” said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., one of the conservatives who has been trying to kill not just the bridge project but also the almost 6,000 other pet projects in the $286 billion highway bill approved earlier this year.
In the House, the Republican leadership expressed confidence that it could win approval of spending cuts this week. Passage of the cuts has eluded it for weeks because of resistance from moderates who are uneasy with the cuts, and conservatives who have grumbled about concessions made to win moderate votes.
The leadership would not predict when it would bring the budget plan to the floor, though Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the acting majority leader, said the House would remain in session through the weekend if necessary to complete its work.
Congress is also trying to dispose of its remaining spending bills, including the transportation measure from which the bridges were removed.
The Senate on Wednesday sent the president a $58 billion measure covering the Commerce, Justice and State Departments as well as science programs.