House of Representatives
Despite Nods to Transit, House GOP Still All About Highways
In its annual “Views and Estimates” document [PDF], the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee indicates that when it comes to transportation policy, despite a few nods to transit, House Republicans still want to cut spending and let highway-centric state DOTs sort out the details. While the House transportation bill could be on its last legs, the document shows that the House GOP hasn't given up on its quest to eliminate street safety programs for walking and biking while giving a free hand to states to build more sprawl projects.
March 12, 2012
Trio of Experts Urge Passage of Bipartisan Transportation Bill
The Senate is finally making progress towards passing their two-year transportation bill, but the big question seems to be what's to come in the House -- and not even the House knows.
March 9, 2012
As Yet Another House Proposal Dies In Utero, Boehner Looks to Senate Bill
The original six-year House transportation bill had funding levels that were too low, so House leaders axed that and came up with a fairy tale bill in which oil drilling would pay for higher transportation spending levels. Then they decided to kick transit funding out of that bill, which didn't fly. So they thought about replacing the whole kit and kaboodle with an 18-month bill, but no one liked that either.
March 8, 2012
John Mica Sidelined by House Leadership for Transpo Bill Rewrite
CQ and AmericaBikes are reporting that Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) has received a rebuke from House leadership, and will play a lesser role as the House reworks its foundering transportation bill. Mica will retain his chairmanship, but he will take a back seat to Railroad Subcommittee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA).
March 6, 2012
How the House and Senate Transportation Bills Changed Overnight
The sun rose this morning on a landscape considerably different from the one described by not one but two articles Streetsblog published yesterday.
March 2, 2012
House Scales Back Transpo Bill But Keeps on Attacking Safe Streets
UPDATE (3:45 p.m.): Citing a lack of support from his colleagues, Speaker John Boehner has dropped his 18-month transportation proposal and has not yet offered an alternative, according to Politico. "A five-year bill is the best way to do this," he said.
March 1, 2012
House GOP Regroups While Senate Dems Tackle Amendments
Last week's big news -- that the House transportation bill faces a likely overhaul by its Republican authors -- rippled through Washington faster than you can say, "gas tax increases are off the table." Very little is known yet about the revised House bill, except that it will probably restore dedicated funding for mass transit, which is good but by no means a fix.
February 27, 2012
Americans Can’t Afford a Highway-Centric Transportation Bill
Gas prices, you may have heard, are on the rise again. And so is pandering about pain at the pump. Four years after $4 a gallon gas spawned "Drill, Baby, Drill" and insane political gimmickry on the presidential campaign trail (remember the "gas tax holiday" favored by John McCain and Hillary Clinton?), gas price populism is back with a vengeance.
February 27, 2012
Encouraging News on Transit, But Serious Flaws Remain in House Transpo Bill
Hold that victory lap: While it's true that House Republicans are revamping their transportation bill, it's time once again to wait and see just how bad the bill still is.
February 24, 2012
GOP Will “Revamp” H.R. 7 and Reportedly Restore Dedicated Transit Funding
While there is no official statement yet, sources on the Hill (and CQ for subscribers) are saying that House Republicans are revamping their 5-year, $260 billion transportation bill and will discard their proposal to eradicate the dedicated transit funding mechanism enacted by Ronald Reagan in 1983. The bill is unlikely to see floor debate next week.
February 23, 2012