House of Representatives
Basics
Republicans Propose Spending Cuts Targeting Amtrak, Transit Funding
A new Republican proposal would eliminate federal subsidies to Amtrak; kill New Starts, the primary federal transit funding program; and make painful cuts to dozens of other federal programs. It’s a plan by the Republican Study Committee, which is trying to keep alive House Speaker John Boehner’s campaign pledge to reduce the budget by $100 billion. Boehner himself has been backing off from the pledge, given the popularity of many of the programs the Study Committee is now proposing to axe.
January 21, 2011
Mica’s Goal: More Cars Off of the Highway
In a recent interview with the Journal of Commerce, Transportation Chair John Mica (R-FL) indicated that he shares many transportation goals with the Obama administration.
January 14, 2011
Mica is “Pretty Confident” That New Rules Won’t Starve Highway Trust Fund
The Journal of Commerce reported yesterday that the House Transportation Committee chair, Rep. John Mica (R-FL), is “’pretty confident’ in the assurances he has received in talks with House leaders” that recent changes to House rules wouldn’t jeopardize Highway Trust Fund spending.
January 11, 2011
New House Rules Threaten TIGER and Livability Programs
The headlines have been apocalyptic.
January 7, 2011
Send in Your Transpo Questions for the 112th Congress
The new Congress has been sworn in and John Boehner has been elected Speaker of the House, 241-173. Nancy Pelosi has handed him the (strangely over-sized) gavel and he just took the oath of office. In his acceptance speech, he stressed fiscal discipline and spending cuts.
January 5, 2011
Republicans Want to Hoard Transpo Money and Call It Deficit Reduction
Transportation advocates, from both the highway and transit lobbies, are up in arms about a proposed change to House rules governing transportation spending. It would jeopardize dedicated transportation funds by changing the rule requiring that a certain level of highway trust fund money be spent each year. According to a letter [PDF] sent to House leadership last week by 21 organizations including AASHTO, APTA, and the Chamber of Commerce:
January 3, 2011
And the Streetsies Go To…
Happy 2011! May this year bring peace, harmony, and a six-year transportation reauthorization.
January 3, 2011
Census Numbers Give Hint of What’s to Come in Washington
The U.S. resident population has grown 9.7 percent over the last decade. There are now 308,745,538 of us here, according to brand-new numbers from the 2010 census. The states with the country's dominant metropolitan areas aren't growing nearly as fast as less dense states. And Congressional representation will follow suit.
December 21, 2010
Senate Vote Will Give GOP a Crack at the Transpo Bill Sooner
A few weeks ago, members of the House threw up their hands and voted for a year-long extension of the 2010 budget. It included an extension of the transportation reauthorization. The Senate didn't vote on it in time, so then the House voted for a three-day extension to give the Senate a few more days after the current extension expired.
December 21, 2010