Today’s Headlines

By Elana Schor
Jun 10, 2009

House passes weak "cash for clunkers" bill by a comfortable margin (CQ)

Obama nominates Deborah Hersman, presently a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, to be the next chairman (Boston Globe)

American Public Transportation Association (APTA) starts "Dump the Pump" campaign (CSP Daily News)

Mag-lev train boosters in Las Vegas press on despite Senate Majority Leader’s support for a rival project (LV Sun)

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) likes his state’s chances of winning federal money for high-speed rail (Dayton Daily News)

FedEx lobbies against legislative provision, backed by Transportation Committee chairman, that could help more of its workers unionize (BusinessWeek, Logistics Management)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Oberstar’s Transportation Bill: Download it in Full

By Elana Schor | Jun 22, 2009

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar’s (D-MN) new federal bill, which he previewed Wednesday despite pushback from the Obama administration, is officially out. You can download the 775-page legislative text right here, thanks to Transportation for America. Streetsblog Capitol Hill is thumbing through it right now to provide highlights later today.

House Dems Agree: Climate Bill Can Help Pay For Greener Transportation

By Elana Schor | Jun 23, 2009

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. The climate bill gives the states 10 percent of its carbon emissions allowances, the total worth of which is projected to hit $70 billion by […]

GOP Chief Steele on Infrastructure Spending: ‘That’s Not Creating Jobs!’

By Elana Schor | Nov 9, 2009

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele appeared on ABC News yesterday, and Daily Kos’ Jed Lewison caught him making a pretty strange argument against federal spending to improve the nation’s infrastructure. When Steele’s counterpart, Democratic counterpart, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, described "small businesses all over Virginia that are doing infrastructure projects because of" the […]

Oberstar Stands Firm on Transportation Bill, Gets Industry Backup

By Elana Schor | Sep 14, 2009

In case any doubts remained about his willingness to challenge the White House and the Senate on prompt passage of a long-term infrastructure bill, House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar’s (D-MN) op-ed in the Politico this morning should clear them up: House transport committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) (Photo: Capitol Chatter) Unfortunately, the administration and […]

Senate Agrees on $26.8 Billion Highway Trust Fund Rescue

By Elana Schor | Jul 21, 2009

The Senate took a major step forward last night in its battle with the House over transportation funding, releasing a plan to give $26.8 billion to the dwindling highway trust fund and — perhaps most importantly, for the long term — to restore the fund’s ability to keep the interest it earns. Senate Finance Committee […]

A Make-or-Break Week for Transportation Begins on the Hill

By Elana Schor | Jul 27, 2009

After weeks of uncertainty and tension, the congressional impasse over long-term transportation funding is headed for resolution this week — but the reprieve may be temporary. A decisive week lies ahead for House transport chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN). (Photo: Capitol Chatter) When we last left House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN), he was calling […]