As expected, the U.S. Senate advanced the Omnibus Lands Bill by a 66-12 margin during a rare Sunday session. The bill, reintroduced a few days ago by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), contains a section to extend the well-regarded Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for another 10 years.
Disappointingly, Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn both voted against the bill, despite the Route 66 program directly helping numerous Route 66 businesses in the Sooner State.
Coburn, a longtime deficit hawk who placed a legislative hold on the same bill last month, did what could be described as a lot of whining as the measure was being passed Sunday.
Coburn’s fiscal stance, however, would have been a lot more substantive if he hadn’t voted for the massive $700 billion bailout of the financial services industry a few weeks ago.
The lands bill is expected to be taken up for a vote by the Senate as soon as Monday. It’s expected to pass, as the measures contained in it have wide bipartisan support. The U.S. House is expected to vote on the bill later in the week. According to one report, the bill could be the first measure signed by incoming President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office Jan. 20.
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program provides annual cost-share grants and other assistance to historic businesses on the Mother Road. The National Park Service program had been scheduled to sunset in late 2009. But the reauthorization would allow it to continue until 2019.