The House-Senate Conference Committee on TEA-21 has postponed its meeting scheduled for tomorrow (July 13) amid signs the House may be preparing an offer that would improve prospects for movement on the legislation.

House GOP staffers are reporting that their side may be prepared to offer a funding package of $285 billion in obligation authority with $295 billion in contract authority over the six-years. Which number you choose to emphasize is really a matter of packaging. The offer would reportedly include bringing the highway program Minimum Allocation up to 93% of a state's contribution to the Highway Account of the highway trust fund. It is unclear how it would treat other elements of the House bill, such as Projects of National Significance and High Priority Projects.

This "offer" has all the hallmarks of a trial balloon being floated to see how various parties react. If the White House were to shoot it down in the next few days, deliberations would be back to square one. On the flip side, if the Senate were to indicate interest and the White House remains silent, it is possible some productive discussions could finally begin on the legislation.

We will -- as always -- stay on top of developments.