House GOPers Propose Filling Trust Fund With Stimulus Money
As their committee's leaders butted heads with the Obama administration, a group of Republicans on the House transportation panel proposed to fill the $7 billion hole in the nation's highway trust fund with unobligated money from the economic stimulus law.
June 19, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Senate Democrats forced to hold open the vote on weak “cash for clunkers” plan open for more than 30 minutes to break a GOP filibuster; measure passes (Dow Jones) Even Blumenauer doesn’t think a VMT tax is coming any time soon; DeFazio’s weighing a tax on oil speculation to fund transportation (Oregonian) Remember that early … Continued
June 19, 2009
Oberstar’s Bill Praised by Mayors, Engineers
The U.S. Conference of Mayors and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) are out with statements this afternoon hailing House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar's (D-MN) new federal transportation proposal.
June 18, 2009
House Transpo Leaders United — in Frustration With the White House
Senior members of the House transportation committee today fired a warning shot at those pushing an 18-month extension of existing federal law, putting the Obama administration and key senators on notice that their $450 billion proposal would move forward this year.
June 18, 2009
Oberstar Tackles Metro-Area Transportation Planning
The debate over funding distributions between highways and transit tends to attract a lot of attention, but advocates are increasingly seeking other methods to achieve transportation reform -- as my colleague Ben Fried showed in his recent interview with John Norquist, president of the Congress for the New Urbanism.
June 18, 2009
But What About the Highways-Transit Split?
As transit fans and policy wonks digest the details of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar's (D-MN) new proposal, one question is coming to mind: Does it change the typical 80-20 split in the percentage of funding that goes to highways versus transit?
June 18, 2009
Oberstar’s New Transportation Bill: Get The Highlights
Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN), the House transportation committee chairman is set to brief reporters this afternoon on his $450 billion, six-year federal transportation bill -- which he plans to pursue regardless of the Obama administration's push for an 18-month extension of existing law.
June 18, 2009
Today’s Headlines: The Oberstar/LaHood Edition
LaHood revealed his plan to seek a short-term transpo law extension “a half hour before” Oberstar was scheduled to brief reporters on his new transpo bill (AP) Oberstar spokesman: “The chairman is not too pleased …” (NYT) Rep. DeFazio, Oberstar’s partner in crafting a new bill, warns the proposed extension could dilute the benefits of … Continued
June 18, 2009
Boxer Likes LaHood’s 18-Month Extension Plan
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and a key player in the federal transportation re-write, just released a statement hailing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's call for an 18-month extension of the existing transport law:
June 17, 2009
LaHood Asks For 18-Month Extension of Four-Year-Old Transpo Law
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is asking Congress to extend the existing federal transportation law for 18 months, averting the coming insolvency of the nation's highway trust fund while putting off broad-based transport reform for as long as the Bush administration did in the days surrounding the 2004 election.
June 17, 2009