Yesterday’s elections brought significant change to the political makeup of the Senate and especially the House, which flipped from Democratic to Republican control. Regardless of the changes in political makeup or committee leadership, Congress will need to pass a long-term bill in 2011, and if history is any guide, there’s a clear path forward, according to this statement from Transportation for America director James Corless…

How could a new transportation bill revitalize rural and small-town America? That was the focus of a Senate Democratic Steering Committee briefing on “Issues and Innovations for Small Towns and Rural Communities” in the Capitol Visitors Center last Friday. Transportation for America co-chair and former Meridian, Mississippi Mayor John Robert Smith shared his perspective as [...]

Congress is heading towards a decisive, historic moment on investing in high speed rail for America. But the outcome is far from certain. In the next few weeks, Congress will decide whether or not to give the Department of Transportation $1.2 billion or $4 billion on high speed rail for the next year. $8 billion was allocated for planning and implementing clean, efficient, high speed train travel in the economic stimulus earlier this year, and with another $4 billion, we’d be making a historic $12 billion investment in high speed rail.Tell Congress to keep $4 billion in the bill at www.fourbillion.com

This summer, as you’re stuck in traffic, squeezing into your carpool, feeling the minutes tick away as you wait for the always-late bus, or pedaling your way through dangerous intersections to put in a hard day’s work, too many legislators are unaware of what commuting each day means for their constituents. Sometimes our friends in Congress just lose sight of the everyday experiences affected by their decisions. That’s why we’re asking our elected officials to give their drivers a week off, leave their first-class tickets at home, and join our Take Your Legislator to Work Challenge!

Full Transportation Bill Outline (.PDF) For those readers brave enough to wade into 90 pages of policy detail, we know have Rep. James Oberstar’s full outline proposal for the next transportation bill. At a press conference to discuss the release this afternoon, John Mica, the Republican Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said [...]

CONTACT: Cosabeth Bullock 202-478-6128 cbullock@mrss.com For Immediate Release: June 11, 2009 WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 140 organizations have joined Transportation for America in signing a letter supporting the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009 (HR 2427). The groups, representing a wide-breadth of interests, including health, equity, energy and the environment sectors, commend representatives Rush [...]

Last week, the Transportation for America campaign took a huge step by releasing The Route to Reform: Blueprint for a 21st Century Transportation Policy, a comprehensive, detailed set of recommendations for Congress and the Obama administration as they lay the groundwork for the upcoming transportation bill. Since then, we’ve held a big event on Capitol [...]

U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) took a big step forward today in the fight to build a 21st Century transportation system by introducing “The Federal Surface Transportation Policy and Planning Act of 2009″ — a bold bill laying out clear guidelines for exactly what the next five-year federal transportation spending plan should accomplish, and Transportation For America’s proposals were clearly echoed in the legislation.

“Livable and Sustainable Communities” might not be at the top of the list of what one would expect to hear from the person in charge of how the Federal government spends our tax dollars on all forms of transportation — ports, railroads, highways, interstates, sidewalks, bike lanes and more — but that’s exactly what Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood named as a primary goal for DOT.

As we mentioned earlier this morning, T4 America campaign director James Corless was on Capitol Hill to testify before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. He was joined by T4 America member Anne Canby of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership and a founding member of the One Rail Coalition. The full testimony is quite detailed, but if you want to read it in full or download it, you can do so below.