Three House of Representatives committees will mark up this week a five-year, $260 billion highway and transit reauthorization bill, according to an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) report.

The current extension of the nation’s surface transportation bill — The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) — expires on March 31. It was signed into law on Aug. 10, 2005, by President George W. Bush, and originally expired Sept. 31, 2009.

The organization says the key policy legislative language is expected to be released by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Jan. 30 or Jan. 31, followed by a committee meeting the morning of Feb. 2 to consider amendments and vote on the bill, the “American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act.”

State transportation department executives were briefed on the measure the evening of Jan. 27 by House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee staff during a conference call organized by AASHTO officials. Two draft bill summaries circulating on Capitol Hill indicate the House measure will include many provisions for which state Departments of Transportation have been asking, the organization says.