Elana Schor
Recent Posts
Study: Clean-Car Subsidies Alone Can’t Meet White House’s Climate Goals
| | No Comments
Government subsidies for hybrid and electric cars, while "politically seductive," will fail to achieve the Obama administration’s national pollution-reduction goals if they are not coupled with a significant increase in fuel prices, according to a new study by Harvard University researchers. (Photo: Pop and Politics) The team at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International […]
Dodd Vows to Pass Livability Bill Amid Skepticism From Rural Senators
| | 6 Comments
Even as the Obama administration ramps up its work on a sustainability initiative that treats transportation, housing, and energy efficiency as interconnected aspects of development policy, the effort remains without an official congressional authorization — a situation that Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) vowed to fix yesterday. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd […]
Today’s Headlines
| | No Comments
The Federal Transit Administration has catalogued the safety lapses and management troubles at D.C.’s Metrorail transit system in a new audit (WaPo) Many local hiccups remain unresolved in California’s march towards high-speed rail connectivity (AP) The battle to win more access to stimulus business for minority-owned transportation contractors gets an in-depth look (AP) Jack Schramm, […]
Today’s Headlines
| | No Comments
"We’re not giving up on highways," LaHood told state DOT officials this week, while reiterating the Obama administration’s interest in rail expansion (see video above, from DOT Press) Rendell, Schwarzenegger, and Bloomberg urge the Senate to match the House’s infrastructure spending in future jobs bills (BAF Press) Obama administration plans to release a broad wish […]
House Set to Pass Jobs Bill With Changes, Prompting Another Senate Vote
| | 1 Comment
The House has just begun voting on the Senate jobs bill, which includes a $20 billion reprieve for the nation’s highway trust fund and an highway expansion of Build America Bonds — but though the legislation is expected to pass, it won’t be headed to the president’s desk yet. Rep. Pete DeFazio (D-OR) (Photo: UPI) […]
LaHood Faces Off With GOP Senator Over High-Speed Rail, Livability
| | 2 Comments
When Cabinet secretaries appear in front of Congress’ appropriations committees, which control the annual budgets for each federal agency, the proceedings tend to be dry affairs dominated by local concerns and arcane fiscal debates. Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) (Photo: Politico) But Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s visit with Senate appropriators today was anything but humdrum, as […]
Moody’s Gifts Fossil-Fuel States With Positive Credit Outlook
| | 1 Comment
Comparing the falloff in state tax revenue to shifts in total unemployment. (Chart: Moody’s) Credit-rating agencies — particularly Moody’s and S&P, the nation’s two premier shops — wield significant influence over the financial health of private companies. But state and local officials are often equally dependent on good credit ratings to borrow money for transportation […]
Today’s Headlines
| | No Comments
A preview of the proposed emission-trimming fuel tax being crafted by Sens. Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman, reported "to have taken Big Oil’s ideas and run with them" (Climatewire) Stark, who has backed multiple transit and bike-ped projects, replaces Rangel at the helm of the Ways and Means Committee, which must approve a way to pay […]
Senate Starts Work on New Transport Bill, With House Version as a Guide
| | 6 Comments
The Senate today took its first steps towards voting on a new long-term federal transportation bill, with environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) vowing to take up a successor to the 2005 infrastructure law before 2011 and indicating she would use the House’s already-introduced version as a framework. Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), […]
New Dem Campaign Brands Stimulus Critics as ‘Highway Hypocrites’
| | 2 Comments
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined others in her party in voting against the stimulus before praising its local impact. (Photo: Seattle Times) As more media outlets note the phenomenon of GOP lawmakers who voted against the Obama administration’s economic stimulus law before seeking — and taking credit for winning — a share of its […]
Bunning Throws in the Towel, Congress Restores Transport Funding
| | No Comments
Workers at the U.S. DOT and on transportation projects around the country are back on the job today after Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) lost his politically hazardous battle against a 30-day extension of federal infrastructure law and unemployment benefits. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) (Photo: CNN) But while Republicans sought to distance themselves from Bunning’s five-day […]
Today’s Headlines
| | No Comments
Road lobbyists accuse Obama of neglecting highways by promoting walkable development (Fleet Owner) Blumenauer offers legislation authorizing $2 billion in competitive grants for local bike projects (Blumenauer Press) A draft of the new Kerry-Lieberman-Graham climate proposal is expected this week, with revenue from their planned fuel tax going towards "transportation projects" (Greenwire) The Bunning filibuster: […]