Recent Streetsblog USA posts about U.S. Senate

Republican Senators Threaten to Slow Extension With Backward Amendments

By Tanya Snyder | Jul 17, 2014 | 4 Comments

Just as it seemed like a transportation extension was on the fast track to passage, a Tea Party senator from Utah is gumming up the works — and the top Republican on the EPW Committee might have a plan to help him. CQ Roll Call reports that Sen. Mike Lee is threatening to block progress […]

House, Senate Take Different Paths to Prop Up Transportation Funding

By Tanya Snyder | Jul 10, 2014 | No Comments

This morning, the House Ways and Means Committee passed its plan to prop up the Highway Trust Fund — which pays for transit and bike/ped infrastructure in addition to roads — until May 2015. A few hours later, the Senate Finance Committee approved a plan of its own, with no deadline attached. Sens. Ron Wyden […]

With No Transport Funding Fix, USDOT to Cut Payments to States Next Month

By Angie Schmitt | Jul 2, 2014 | 17 Comments

State transportation departments could see the federal funding they receive pared back as early as a few weeks from now if Congress doesn’t come up with a transportation funding solution. A “cash management plan” to deal with the impending shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund — which actually pays for transit, biking, and walking projects […]

Senator Pat Toomey Fights to Spare America From Safe Streets

By Tanya Snyder | Jun 25, 2014 | 4 Comments

You know the Senate is close to passing transportation legislation when someone introduces a hare-brained amendment to ban bike and pedestrian programs. Sen. Ron Wyden, as promised, yesterday introduced a bill to extend MAP-21 and the Highway Trust Fund’s authority by three months. It also transfers some money from the general fund into the HTF to keep […]

And So Begins the Long Slog to the Lame Duck

By Tanya Snyder | Jun 24, 2014 | No Comments

The push for a long-term transportation bill is slowly giving way to the reality of an utter lack of consensus around a funding mechanism. The chair of the Senate Finance Committee, which is charged with finding that consensus, indicated today that the job just isn’t possible right now. The Hill reports that Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) […]

Senators Murphy (D) and Corker (R) Propose 12-Cent Gas Tax Increase

By Tanya Snyder | Jun 18, 2014 | 31 Comments

There are several proposals on the table to stave off the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (which pays for transit, biking, and walking projects too) in two months. Just now, two senators teamed up to announce one that might actually have a chance. Sens. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) have proposed […]

Show More Stories