House conferees will respond to their Senate colleagues’ offer of $318 billion when the conference committee on HR 3550 meets on Wednesday. House Republican leaders have yet to decide what level of funding they are willing to support. One powerful conferee, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), has already announced his intentions, stating that “there will not be any less out of this than we passed in the House.” Earlier this session the House approved $283 billion in transportation funding. However, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) publicly rebuked the Senate offer, as did House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-California). House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) sided with DeLay’s concerns through a spokesman.

Some Republicans believe that President Bush can be dragged into supporting a bill with higher spending than it desires given sufficient Republican pressure. Yet this may be a difficult task, given that both DeLay and Hastert have expressed their opposition towards any bill that president opposes. Wednesday will be the third meeting of the conference committee.