Reauthorization
Basics
Will New Infrastructure Funding Survive the Demise of Obama’s Jobs Bill?
Tuesday night, the Senate blocked a vote on the president’s jobs plan. As had been forecast, Republicans voted unanimously against the plan, and they weren't alone: Two Democrats joined them – Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Now it's on to Plan B, which involves breaking up the bill into pieces to be voted on separately.
October 13, 2011
Republicans Have Their Own Plan to Pay for Infrastructure Jobs: Oil Drilling
President Obama has proposed a plan to pay for the American Jobs Act, the $447 billion bill to create 1.9 million jobs, including $50 billion for infrastructure. His "pay-for" plan includes limitations on itemized deductions for the wealthy and the elimination of some tax loopholes for oil and gas companies.
September 30, 2011
Mica, GOP Leadership Looking to Raise Transportation Spending Levels in Bill
According to yet another great report from Jeff Davis at Transportation Weekly, House Republican leadership has given House Transportation Committee Chair John Mica permission to seek additional revenues to fund the transportation reauthorization at levels $15 billion higher than initially proposed.
September 23, 2011
Boxer Clarifies: Transportation Enhancements Will Remain in the Bill
We reported this morning that there seemed to be some distance between how Sen. Barbara Boxer understands the deal with Sen. Tom Coburn and how Coburn understands it. To clarify, Boxer just issued this statement:
September 16, 2011
Last-Minute Deal Preserves Bike/Ped Funding. But For How Long?
UPDATED with comments from Sen. Tom Coburn's staff.
September 16, 2011
T4America to Sen. Coburn: Cutting Bike/Ped Won’t Fix Oklahoma’s Problems
Although SAFETEA-LU doesn't expire for another two weeks, the FAA reauthorization expires in two days, and Reid said that if Coburn doesn't change course, "we cannot get to this bill prior to Friday when the FAA expires.”
September 14, 2011
Coburn Blocks Quick Senate Vote on Transportation Extension
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has placed a "hold" on the transportation extension, along with a bill to continue sanctions against Burma and to provide disaster relief to areas affected by Hurricane Irene and other storms.
September 14, 2011
How Dangerous is Sen. Coburn’s Amendment to Kill Bike/Ped Funding?
For the last few days, we've been talking a lot about Sen. Tom Coburn's crusade to remove bike/ped funding from the transportation bill -- even just from the six-month extension that just passed the House and is on its way to the Senate. He's determined to insert an amendment to take out the funds.
September 14, 2011
House and Senate Agree on 6-Month Transpo Extension
Just days after a Senate committee asked the full chamber to consider a four-month extension of SAFETEA-LU, new negotiations have replaced that idea with a six-month extension at current spending levels. The bill also extends the gas tax.
September 12, 2011
Inhofe Supports Clean Extension, Won’t Vote Against Bike/Ped (This Time)
The Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously agreed this morning to send a four-month extension of the transportation bill to the full Senate. Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) emphasized that it wasn’t easy to get consensus on the extension, especially with many members wanting to move forward with the full two-year bill.
September 8, 2011