Posts Tagged "senate"
Senate passes plan to postpone transportation insolvency to the end of the year, sends it to House
Late Tuesday evening, the Senate modified and approved a measure transferring about $8 billion from the general fund to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent until the end of the year. But because two amendments were made, it’ll return to the House for further action before any final deal can be approved on postponing insolvency of the nation’s transportation program. The House will have to act fast: the long August recess is scheduled to begin in just three days.
House proposes a trust fund Band-aid through May, 2015, with key differences from Senate
A House proposal to shore up the transportation trust fund through May, 2015, is a good news, not-so-good news proposition. Late yesterday, House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) proposed a $10.8 billion infusion to cover a looming deficit in the Highway Trust Fund. The money for the next few months would come mostly […]
Senate Finance Committee considers a trust fund stopgap, with long-term funding unclear
The Senate Finance Committee Thursday will take up a proposal from Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent through Dec. 31 with a $9 billion transfer from the general budget. The needed revenue would be raised by increasing the allowable tax on heavy trucks and four accounting maneuvers unrelated to transportation.
Favorable responses and coverage for the bipartisan Senate plan to raise the gas tax
As soon as Senators Murphy and Corker introduced their bipartisan plan yesterday to raise the gas tax by 12 cents, supportive statements starting flowing in and media outlets quickly picked up the news.
Senators unveil bipartisan plan to rescue the federal transportation program by raising the gas tax
Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Bob Corker (R-TN) today announced their bipartisan plan to raise the nation’s gas tax by 12 cents over two years to rescue the nation’s Highway Trust Fund, which is headed for insolvency before the end of the summer.
Transportation funding: summer’s biggest blockbuster
Suddenly, transportation funding is the topic de jour.
Senate committee passes transportation appropriations bill; negotiations with House on the horizon
The annual transportation (and housing) appropriations bill adopted Thursday by Senate appropriators contains some good news for transportation. But as in years past, it provides more money than the House’s version, setting the stage for contentious negotiations that could erase gains for key programs — especially competitive grants and new transit construction. Senate appropriators also noted that if the trust fund goes bankrupt, as it is projected to do as soon as next month, there won’t be any money to appropriate.
Finally, a bill to give locals more access to their federal transportation dollars
Most taxpayers would agree that the level of government closest to the people should have more control over how transportation dollars get spent in their local communities. Yet local cities, towns and counties control less than 15 percent of all federal transportation dollars.
In Senate hearing, local officials stand up for greater access to federal funds
Now that the Environment and Public Works Committee has passed the highway title of the Senate’s next transportation bill, attention shifts to three other committees writing remaining portions of the bill. Last week the Commerce Committee held a hearing on “local perspectives on moving America”, including testimony from T4America’s John Robert Smith, the former mayor of Meridian, MS.
T4America thanks Senators Cory Booker and Roger Wicker for their proposal to give local communities greater access to transportation funds
“On behalf of Transportation for America, its members and affiliates and local elected and business leaders, I want to thank Sen. Wicker and Sen. Booker for their leadership today in fighting for the transportation priorities of cities and towns across the country,” said James Corless, director of Transportation for America.
It’s past time to elevate the national conversation about infrastructure beyond just the price tag. Learn more about T4America's three simple principles for federal transportation investment.
Read our new principles