Congress could vote on an Infrastructure package sometime this week. The measure came close to coming up for a vote late last week but got tied up in squabbling about whether or not it would have to be melded with the reconciliation legislation. Waterways Council Senior Vice President Deb Calhoun says federal lawmakers agreed on an infrastructure package that will include major funding for inland waterways.

She’s hoping federal lawmakers will bring the infrastructure bill up for a vote sometime this week. Calhoun says they did pass a portion of it last week which was the Highway Bill that would have expired on Saturday but is now extended till December 3.

Calhoun says the infrastructure bill is critical for agriculture.

Calhoun says the inland waterways must be funded because they are an economic driver and because it’s the most cost effective way to transport bulk commodities, especially to foreign markets.