U.S. Senate
Streetsblog Basics
Senate Committee Moves to Eliminate TIGER Program in Next Transpo Bill
The Republican-controlled Senate is poised to eliminate the TIGER program, one of the few sources of federal funds that cities can access directly to improve streets and transit.
July 14, 2015
Senate Committee Passes DRIVE Act Unanimously After Some Tinkering
Given the bipartisan gushing that accompanied the release of the DRIVE Act on Tuesday, it came as no surprise that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed the bill unanimously yesterday, with more gushing for good measure.
June 25, 2015
Inhofe’s DRIVE Act — Not as Big a Disaster as You Might Think
No, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's new six-year bill, obnoxiously named the DRIVE Act (Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy) [PDF], won't usher in a more enlightened era of federal transportation policy. But neither would it be a significant step backward. And with the realization setting in that further extensions of current law might be impossible, the DRIVE Act could actually become the nation's first long-term transportation authorization in a decade.
June 23, 2015
Movement in Congress to Let Cities and Towns Access Federal Transpo Funds
Finally, proof that Congress is capable of crafting smart transportation legislation and not just zany ways to avoid raising the gas tax.
March 23, 2015
Congress Trims TIGER (But Doesn’t Hack It to Pieces) in 2015 Spending Bill
The drama is over; the House and Senate have both passed the "cromnibus" spending bill [PDF] that funds government operations through the end of fiscal year 2015. And the Department of Transportation's TIGER program survived.
December 15, 2014
GOP Will Control the Senate in 2015 — What Does It Mean for Transportation?
The forecasting models were right: As the polls closed last night it quickly became apparent that Republicans will gain control of the Senate, with at least 52 seats now held by the GOP. The implications for transportation are immense. To understand what they are, first let's look at what last night means for the prospects for a new transportation bill next year. Then we'll get inside the committees for a nitty-gritty look at the leadership shakeup.
November 5, 2014
Bi-partisan Senate Bill Would Give Locals More Say Over Transpo Spending
When it comes to transportation funding, cities and towns occupy the bottom of the totem pole. The vast majority of federal transportation money goes to states, to the exclusion of local governments. That means state DOTs get tens of billions to spend on highways each year, while mayors and local agencies have to scrounge for money to improve transit, build sidewalks, or add bike lanes.
September 22, 2014
Why the Next Fight Over Bike/Ped Funding Won’t Be Like the Last
When Congress passed a two-year transportation bill in 2012, active transportation advocates had to scrape and claw for every penny of funding for walking and biking programs. When the dust settled, it seemed they would have to repeat the same old battles when the law expired.
September 11, 2014
Congress Hits the Snooze Button on Transpo Funding Until May
Someone had to cave and last night, it was the Senate.
August 1, 2014
371 City Leaders Ask Boxer For More Local Control Over Bike/Ped Money
Last week, 371 mayors and other city leaders wrote a letter [PDF] to Sen. Barbara Boxer, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, in support of local control over transportation dollars for bike and pedestrian projects.
June 25, 2014