Streetsblog Capitol Hill
The Wall Street Tax Shelter That Crashed Your Local Transit Agency
The D.C. Metro accident that killed nine riders this week has renewed calls for rail safety upgrades and reminders that car travel remains far riskier than transit. But the crash is also shedding light on a problem that goes beyond Washington: tax shelter deals between banks and struggling transit agencies -- deals that were given a retroactive pass by Congress even though the IRS considers them illegal.
June 26, 2009
The House is Debating its Climate Legislation Right Now
Kate Sheppard from Grist is Tweeting the heck out of the climate bill debate on the floor of the House of Representatives today (218 votes and counting). Barbara Boxer, who is working on the Senate version of this bill, yesterday reminded sustainable transport advocates that this is probably going to be their only chance in the next 18 months to get something done in Congress.
June 26, 2009
Voinovich: Business Buy-in Can Get a New Transportation Bill Done
George Voinovich (R-OH) may be the only senator who wants to forget about an 18-month extension of existing transportation law and move ahead quickly on broad reform. But that doesn't mean he's giving up.
June 25, 2009
Money or Nothing
Building America's Future is a kind of DreamWorks for the infrastructure set.
June 25, 2009
Boxer and Inhofe Agree: Transportation Policy Reform Can Wait
Green transportation advocates are pressing Congress to refuse any new spending that's not tied to reform of the existing system -- a call that influential senators in both parties ruled out today.
June 25, 2009
Senate Poised to Move on Climate Bill
Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Senate environment committee, isn't yet ready to start debating a long-term transportation bill -- but she is reportedly prepared to move on climate change legislation that includes targets for diminishing auto dependence and encouraging transit use.
June 24, 2009
Your Unlikely Reasonable Voice of the Day
Rep. Don Young (R-AK) is not known as a friend of green transportation -- and that's putting it mildly.
June 24, 2009
House Transpo Leaders and Obama DOT Run Off in Opposite Directions
The conflicted state of federal transportation policy-making was on vivid display today, as House lawmakers pressed ahead on a $500 billion bill that still lacks a funding source while the Obama administration scrambled to find $20 billion for a bailout of the highway trust fund.
June 24, 2009
The High-Speed Rail Numbers Game: Is $13 Billion and 110MPH Enough?
High-speed rail is one of the Obama administration's most prized policy goals, with $13 billion getting earmarked in the coming year alone to help break ground on up to 11 proposed regional corridors. But what will the U.S. get for its money? A lively Senate hearing today attempted to answer that question.
June 23, 2009
House Dems Agree: Climate Bill Can Help Pay For Greener Transportation
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee just struck a deal ahead of Friday's make-or-break vote on climate change legislation to give greener transportation a place at the table.
June 23, 2009