▁many ▁years , ▁the ▁bill ▁did ▁not ▁contain ▁very ▁much ▁language ▁ear mark ing ▁funds ▁for ▁or ▁requiring ▁states ▁to ▁build ▁specific ▁construction ▁projects . ▁It ▁did ▁contain , ▁however , ▁prov isions ▁requiring ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation ▁( D OT ) ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁program ▁on ▁highway ▁safety ▁research ▁and ▁design ▁improvement . ▁The ▁total ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁bill ▁was ▁$ 2 5 . 9 ▁billion ▁over ▁three ▁years . ▁ ▁Anderson ▁submitted ▁his ▁mass ▁trans it ▁am end ment ▁when ▁the ▁Public ▁Works ▁bill ▁came ▁up ▁on ▁the ▁floor ▁of ▁the ▁full ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁late ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁The ▁House ▁defeated ▁his ▁am end ment ▁by ▁just ▁ 2 5 ▁votes . ▁ ▁The ▁content ious ▁conference ▁committee ▁A ▁conference ▁committee ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁Senate ▁in ▁early ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁recon cile ▁the ▁two ▁pieces ▁of ▁legisl ation . ▁The ▁committee ▁almost ▁immediately ▁dead locked ▁over ▁the ▁mass ▁trans it ▁issue . ▁ ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁said ▁states ▁should ▁be ▁permitted ▁to ▁make ▁up ▁their ▁own ▁minds ▁about ▁transport ation ▁sp ending , ▁while ▁House ▁members ▁accused ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁" ra iding " ▁the ▁Highway ▁Trust ▁Fund . ▁While ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁conf ere es ▁were ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁using ▁highway ▁funds ▁for ▁mass ▁trans it , ▁only ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁nine ▁House ▁members ▁supported ▁this ▁plan . ▁Senate ▁conf ere es ▁offered ▁a ▁comprom ise , ▁based ▁on ▁suggestions ▁made ▁by ▁President