Opposition to Senate extension results in looming shutdown of federal transportation programs
February 26, 2010By Stephen Lee Davis
| Do you live in Kentucky? Call Sen. Bunning’s State HQ and tell him to end his roadblock. Click here for more information on making a call. |
At a point in history when American trust in Congress is at or near all-time lows, it’s probably not a great time to interrupt regular programming to announce that a single Senator kept the Senate from passing an emergency one-month extension of the current transportation bill before adjourning today, leaving it to expire over the weekend and threatening the flow of money to transportation programs — federal and state.
The transportation bill, which has already been extended four times since its initial expiration in 2009, funds federal and state transportation programs. Which means that come Monday or Tuesday (it’s uncertain which at this point), federal transportation agencies from the Department of Transportation to the Federal Transit Administration will be furloughing employees and in a state of near shutdown.
Perhaps most importantly, and of much greater concern to most people than the fact that federal transportation officials in D.C. might be sent home for a few days, the government checks that go out every two weeks to state departments of transportation to reimburse them for their ongoing contracts for transportation projects will not be sent out on Monday as usual, regardless of what happens Monday, according to several of our sources.
As Elana Schor (@eschor) pointed on Twitter this afternoon, this means “$184 [million] per day in lost transpo reimbursements for road repairs, bridge building, and transit.”
Chairman Jim Oberstar held a press conference to talk about the issue this afternoon, calling Sen. Jim Bunning’s obstruction “astonishing” and comparing it to the government shutdown of 1995. He detailed the specifics of what will happen at federal and state transportation agencies as the flow of money that funds highway and bridge repair, transit agencies and programs will shut off Monday. Later this afternoon, he said in a press release on Facebook that “I find it outrageous that one senator can kill a piece of legislation and cause chaos for our cities and states. Thanks to this one person’s intransigence, Minnesota will not be reimbursed for its federal share of highway projects until we get this mess sorted out.”
He points out that some states may have to suspend work on projects — something that Missouri has already done by announcing that they won’t open up several new projects for bid next week with their funding stream so up in the air.
As usual, Elana Schor at Streetsblog DC has some of the most thorough coverage of the issue, though it is making headlines in Politico, CQ and other outlets.
We’ll have more intel and reaction on Monday, and hopefully news about a solution to the bill’s expiration.
Have you seen an announcement (like Missouri’s) in your state of halted projects, delayed contracts, or furloughed workers? Let us know in the comments.
Today’s Headlines – 2/26/10
February 26, 2010By Sean Barry
A Senate plan to halt EPA climate rules would “profoundly” harm automakers, according to the Department of Transportation. (Hill)
Washington DC’s transportation chief is pushing for more biking and bus access, but has made a couple of enemies at AAA along the way. (WP)
Alaska state legislators are considering a gas tax increase. (Alaska Dispatch)
TIGER grant funded projects to reduce freight congestion will greatly improve fuel efficiency. (NYT)
Proposed cuts to the San Francisco Muni system have provoked a major backlash. (SF Bay Guardian)
And, the mayor of Fort Worth, Texas called for an end to “autocentric” design and the beginning of a “complete overhaul.” (Star-Telegram)
Transportation a Key Point of Compromise for Senate Jobs Bill
February 25, 2010By Transportation for America
Bipartisan passage accompanies strong vote for transportation reform
WASHINGTON D.C. – Following the bipartisan passage of the jobs bill in the Senate this morning, James Corless, campaign director of Transportation for America, released the following statement:
“Today’s bipartisan passage by the Senate of a $15B jobs bill came with a clear indication of the significance of transportation for the American public. Central to the Senate compromise was the caveat put forth by Senator Voinovich (R-OH) that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) submits a comprehensive transportation bill by year’s end, recognizing the long-term economic significance of prioritizing our national transportation program.
“While this bill extends the existing transportation bill through 2010, it does not offer financial support for longer term infrastructure projects. We therefore stand ready to support Chairman Boxer (D-CA), and Senator Voinovich’s (R-OH) leadership in creating a bi-partisan long-term, transformational transportation bill in the near future as it will serve as a strong indicator that the American public can expect Congress and the Administration to viably reshape our transportation infrastructure.
“If given the opportunity to move ahead with additional job creation measures, Congress can work to save and create thousands of jobs in 2010 by increasing funding levels for public transportation, including operating assistance for struggling systems, as well as investing in a robust package of pedestrian, bicycle, livable community and transportation technology projects as we have proposed. These investments would put people back to work immediately and improve access and safety for those still looking for ways to get to their jobs.
“In order to encourage long-term economic stability and ensure that additional jobs are not lost, Congress needs to address our nation’s outdated transportation program and finalize a fully transformational transportation bill.”
Today’s Headlines – 2/25/10
February 25, 2010By Sean Barry
The House will not pass the Senate jobs bill in its current form, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair Jim Oberstar warned. (Politico)
Jim Inhofe, noted global warming skeptic and ranking Republican on a key committee, was among the last-minute supporters of the Senate legislation. (NewsOK)
New York City’s new subway chief is hoping to hold the line on fare increases. (NYT)
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was in Washington this week to lobby for his “Subway to the Sea” project. (LAist)
A bill in the Virginia legislature to index gas taxes to inflation died for the year, but could have bipartisan support in the future. (Fredericksburg.com)
And, Obama’s new Partnership for Sustainable Communities gives smart growth a push like never before. (Grist)
Today’s Headlines – 2/24/10
February 24, 2010By Sean Barry
The number two Democrat in the House is lukewarm on the Senate’s $15 billion jobs bill. (Politico)
Manufacturers want a firmer commitment from the Senate on a six-year transportation bill reauthorization. (NAM)
A top official with the Washington DC Metro testified before the National Transportation Safety Board about several high-profile malfunctions. (WP)
Public transit in the San Francisco Bay Area will likely be slashed further as California’s budget continues to bleed. (CC Times)
Seattle’s new mayor is working with legislators to alter a 520 toll bridge design. (Times)
And, a card-carrying libertarian decries taxpayer subsidized parking garages. (Cato @ Liberty)
Today’s Headlines – 2/23/10
February 23, 2010By Sean Barry
The year-old stimulus bill receives birthday accolades from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, touting a series of newspaper editorials that praised the Act. (DOT Blog)
Retiring Senator George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, has a secured a promise of a transportation bill reauthorization vote this year. (Streetsblog)
Virginia State Senators narrowly passed a measure to spend offshore oil-drilling revenues on transportation. (Times-Dispatch)
But Virginia’s conservative Attorney General filed a challenge to federal greenhouse gas regulatory authority. (Green Inc.)
Hundreds of New York City subway agents could receive lay offs notices this year. (NYT)
And, Pennsylvania faces a $450 million funding gap for transportation as officials await federal approval for tolls on I-80. (Inquirer)
Sen. Reid promises Sen. Voinovich to move a full six-year bill in 2010?
February 22, 2010By Stephen Lee Davis
Republican Senator George Voinovich from Ohio might be looking to put a little public pressure on Majority Leader Harry Reid in a release touting the Ohio Senator’s vote in favor of moving the Senate jobs bill forward late Monday.
In a statement posted on his site, Voinovich explains his reasons for supporting the jobs bill in the Senate, touting the job-creation benefits of investing in transportation. But it also appears that the Senate leader let Sen. Voinovich know that he’d bring a six-year bill to the Senate floor for a vote in 2010:
“I spoke to Majority Leader Reid prior to this vote and he assured me that he understands the importance of a surface transportation reauthorization bill,” Sen. Voinovich continued. “I reiterated that it is the best way to create jobs, provide an immediate stimulus to the economy, rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and reduce our carbon footprint. Leader Reid gave me his commitment that he will bring the reauthorization of a multi-year surface transportation bill to the floor for a vote this year. I look forward to working with Senator Reid, Senator Boxer and others to do so as soon as possible so we can put Americans back to work.”
Updated: Here’s Elana Schor’s take over at Streetsblog DC. No comment still from Sen. Reid, but she notes that this makes 2 comments in a week about a 2010 vote in the Senate.
Today’s Headlines – 2/22/10
February 22, 2010By Sean Barry
The Senate will take a test vote today on moving forward with a scaled-back jobs bill, which includes infrastructure and a transportation bill extension. (NYT)
California Senator Barbara Boxer, a key committee chair, signaled her commitment to passing a transportation law this year. (Streetsblog)
President Obama explained how a warming planet meshes with major snow storms. (Climate Progress)
Washington DC’s Metro system is plagued by safety and budget shortfalls. (WP)
And, Louisiana business leaders want high-speed rail between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, despite objections from Governor Bobby Jindal. (Nola)
Will the TIGER grants reinforce metropolitan areas?
February 19, 2010By Stephen Lee Davis
Rob Puentes of the Brookings Institution, writing for New Republic’s The Avenue, wrote a post this morning examining where transportation stimulus dollars have been directed. You can’t get too far reading the Brookings Metro Program without seeing a notable statistic: the 100 largest metro areas contain two-thirds of our population and produce 75 percent of GDP on just a fraction of the country’s land area. Puentes notes that the transportation element of the stimulus was not especially well targeted to metro areas to best leverage that economic power.
With most of the stimulus money flowing through state DOTs that don’t always prioritize spending in metropolitan areas, that’s probably not surprising.
But he found a different story entirely when he and his colleagues examined the $1.5 billion in TIGER grants announced earlier this week. He writes:
But what about the geographic spread? Over 80 percent of the projects and 70 percent of total TIGER funding is targeted to the 100 largest metro areas. That’s not just the super-large places like New York and Chicago, but also important metros like Louisville, Tulsa, and Providence.
As Washington considers the additional steps needs to retain and create jobs, the TIGER’s recognition of the economic primacy of U.S. metropolitan area should be illustrative.
Today’s Headlines – 2/19/10
February 19, 2010By Sean Barry
The stimulus bill signed a year ago was more successful than people think, and cut more taxes than many realize. (Baltimore Sun)
Seventeen Democratic Senators urged Majority Leader Harry Reid to make transportation infrastructure a top priority in jobs legislation. (Streetsblog)
Houston transit officials are pushing back against Mayor Annise Parker’s proposal to eliminate bus and train fares. (Chronicle)
Mass transit is getting a more welcome reception in heavily suburban and traffic-rich parts of Indiana. (IndyStar)
Federal regulators added subway car design to their list of “most wanted” safety improvements in response to several high-profile crashes on the Washington Metro system. (WP)
And, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood appears on the MTV show “Buried Life” to help four people’s quest to play basketball with President Obama. (Peoria Journal-Star)
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- Transit grants out the federal door, but what about the cuts?
March 8, 2010 - Transit riders in Atlanta face massive cuts, “wholesale restructuring” of service
March 5, 2010 - Opposition to Senate extension results in looming shutdown of federal transportation programs
February 26, 2010 - T4 jobs proposal would create nearly half a million jobs, according to Economic Policy Institute
February 17, 2010 - Obama’s 2011 budget gives a lift to livability and transportation
February 2, 2010
- Transit grants out the federal door, but what about the cuts?
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