Even occasional observers of the national transportation scene can probably recognize House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) or Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) -- but what about the advisers who act as their eyes and ears in drafting policy?
Here's a look at 10 of Congress' biggest transportation power players, courtesy of Roll Call.
What jumps out is how many staffers have leapt from one transportation-minded member to another. For example, Boxer's senior policy director for transportation is an alumna of Rep. Pete DeFazio's (D-OR) office, while the staff director for Sen. Max Baucus' (D-MT) transportation subcommittee comes from Rep. Nick Rahall's (D-WV) office.
That shared lineage, however, doesn't seem to be helping the House and Senate align their transportation policy planning this year...
