Senate Democrats unveil $9B for highway bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have unveiled a $9 billion plan to prevent states from facing a cutoff of federal highway construction money as early as this summer.

Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., proposed the measure, which would raise taxes on heavy trucks as part of a plan to keep the U.S. highway fund solvent through the end of the year. Trucks over 97,000 pounds would pay $1,100 a year; the current cap is $550 for vehicles over 75,000 pounds.