for debate there was a proposed motion to recommit the bill, argued for by Jared Polis, D-Colorado, in order to add an amendment to strip funding for this project that has shown up in previous bills' earmarks. When put to a vote "On Motion to Recommit with Instructions: H.R. 662 Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011" the vote "Failed 181-246, 5 not voting" The votes in support and against broke along party lines with only 7 Democrats voting against the motion and no Republicans voting for the motion. In support Jared Polis (D)-Colorado (in part) argued @4:16:19: "This motion rescinds all remaining funds, about $183 million, provided for the planning, design, and construction of the two bridges under SAFETEA-LU. ... This is a very simple choice, there's no politics in this, we're not changing other parts of the bill, we're not trying to catch people off, we're not trying to trap people for 30-second spots to say they're for pornography like as has been done in previous sessions while the bill is gutted elsewhere. What we're simply providing, is a clean vote on The Bridge to Nowhere. According to the CBO [(the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office)] this motion will reduce the deficit by $160 million by eliminating funding for these two bridges, nothing else." In opposition, Rep. John Mica (R)-Florida responded @4:18:42: "I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit." "Well congratulations my colleagues welcome to the era of smoke and mirrors and that's exactly what this motion to recommit is and I urge its defeat. And you heard the gentleman describing bridges and he again is trying to mislead the entire house on this particular motion to recommit. It is smoke and mirrors, and I urge the defeat of the motion to recommit." References U.S. Government Accountability Office, "Federal-Aid Highways: Trends, Effect on State Spending, and Options for Future Program Design," GAO-04-802, 2004. National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, "Transportation for Tomorrow," 2008. External links SAFETEA-LU (PDF/details) as amended in the GPO Statute Compilations collection SAFETEA-LU as enacted in the US Statutes at Large Impact of SAFETEA-LU on California's Transportation Program United States federal transportation legislation Acts of the 109th United States Congress Acts of the 110th United States Congress 2005 in American law