Obama urges congress to pass extension of transportation bill

President Barack Obama urged lawmakers to extend legislation to fund highways and mass- transit projects, saying a failure to do so will cost thousands of construction jobs and delay needed infrastructure repairs.

“It’s inexcusable to put more jobs at risk in an industry that’s already been one of the hardest hit in the last decade,” Obama said at the White House today.

The president is seeking to head off a battle over differences between the House and Senate to avoid a halt to projects and a loss of tax revenue that partially shut down the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this month. Obama also called on lawmakers to finish work on a longer extension of authority for the FAA.

The president was joined at the White House by David Chavern, chief operating officer for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to press lawmakers for an extension of the bill.