▁met ▁ 2 9 ▁times ▁over ▁two ▁months , ▁an ▁exception ally ▁high ▁number ▁of ▁meet ings ▁and ▁long ▁period ▁of ▁time . ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁the ▁Senate ▁approved ▁the ▁conference ▁report ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 9 5 - to - 1 . ▁The ▁House ▁followed ▁suit ▁by ▁voice ▁vote ▁on ▁August ▁ 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁highway ▁bill ▁proved ▁acceptable ▁to ▁President ▁N ixon , ▁and ▁he ▁signed ▁the ▁bill ▁into ▁law ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁About ▁the ▁act ▁The ▁legisl ation ▁re author ized ▁the ▁Federal - A id ▁Highway ▁Act ▁through ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁fis cal ▁year ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁( Se ptember ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 ). ▁App ropri ations ▁were ▁made ▁for ▁inter state ▁highway ▁construction ▁through ▁fis cal ▁year ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁( Se ptember ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 9 ). ▁ ▁The ▁total ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁legisl ation ▁was ▁$ 2 0 ▁billion ▁over ▁fis cal ▁years ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁The ▁act ▁included ▁the ▁following ▁fund ing ▁prov isions : ▁Inter state ▁highway ▁system : ▁$ 9 . 7 5 ▁billion ▁was ▁appropri ated ▁for ▁inter state ▁highway ▁construction ▁in ▁fis cal ▁years ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Fund s ▁for