Report: After MN Collapse, Bridge Repair Got Just 11% of D.C. Earmarks
In the wake of the 2007 collapse of Minnesota's I-35 bridge, Washington policymakers vowed
a renewed focus on repairing the nation's aging infrastructure. But
weeks after the fatal collapse, Congress approved a transportation
spending bill with 704 earmarked projects, at a total cost topping $570
million -- and just 11 percent of those earmarks went towards bridge
repair, according to a new report released today.
November 12, 2009
Chrysler: Taking Taxpayer Money and Running Away From Cleaner Cars
When Chrysler asked the government for a second round of bailout money in February, it submitted a 177-page restructuring plan that vowed to usher in a new era of fuel-efficient vehicles at the famously gas-chugging automaker.
November 11, 2009
Grassley: ‘Two or Three Other’ Republicans Open to Climate Change Deal
The Senate's propensity for filibusters, delay, and fruitless attempts at bipartisan deal-making is earning it quite the reputation these days. And climate change legislation, with its big-ticket implications for transit and urban development in general, is becoming increasingly caught up in the Senate's peripatetic politics.
November 10, 2009
The Wall Street Transportation Tax: Predictably Unpopular On Wall Street
As Congress mulls over solutions to the nation's transportation funding gap, with an eye to passing new infrastructure legislation to reverse the rising unemployment rate, Rep. Pete DeFazio's (D-OR) proposed tax on oil futures is picking up new fans in high places.
November 10, 2009
The National Perspective: New Report Maps the Gap Between Pedestrian Risks and Federal Safety Aid
If
the equivalent of one jumbo jet full of Americans died every month, the
resulting public outcry would be deafening. Or would it?
November 9, 2009
‘The Concrete is Cracking’: Front-Loaded New Transport Bill Gains Steam
With the U.S. unemployment rate hitting 10.2 percent today, its highest level in 26 years, a palpable shift is occurring on Capitol Hill. House transportation chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) (Photo: STLToday) For weeks, we’ve heard senior Democrats and the transit industry make the case for more transportation spending as a potent job creator, but the … Continued
November 6, 2009
Boxer Okays Senate Climate Bill, Without Amendments or GOP
The Senate environment committee approved its climate change bill today on a 10-1 vote, shrugging off a boycott by all of the panel's Republicans but missing out on the chance to consider amendments to the lengthy legislation.
November 5, 2009
Congress Set to Double the Size of Sprawl-Centric Home Buyer’s Tax Credit
The $8,000 tax credit for new home buyers -- which was wracked by
fraudulent claims after its creation as part of the nation's economic
recovery effort -- is on the verge of a significant expansion by
Congress.
November 4, 2009
Buffett’s Bet on Burlington: What Does it Mean for Transport and Energy?
The financial world was riveted this morning by billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s move to take full ownership of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad, a $34 billion deal that ranks as the largest ever executed by Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway. Warren Buffett (Photo: Redfin) But what does Buffett’s purchase mean for the nation’s energy … Continued
November 3, 2009
To Limit Distracted Driving, Congress Leans Toward a Carrot-Stick Combo
Partisanship is a fact of life in Washington, often slowing down progress on issues from health care to climate change.
But when it comes to preventing the use of electronic devices behind
the wheel, a congressional consensus is emerging in favor of federal
action -- even as the extent of GOP support for a punitive approach
remains decidedly unclear.
November 2, 2009