Tag: Senate: Page 2

Roadbuilding

Senate to begin work on long-term highway bill, but not until current funding has expired

The Senate will hold a hearing on a new long-term transportation bill, but it’s not going to be on the agenda until after the impending expiration of the Highway Trust Fund. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) and Barbara Boxer (D-California) announced Wednesday that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee would mark-up a bipartisan, six-year surface […]

May 14, 2015

Roadbuilding

Bipartisan Senate bill would offer a tax credit for transportation projects

A Republican and a Democratic crossed party lines to propose a bill Monday that would provide a tax credit for road projects. The Hill reports Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) proposed the “Move America Act of 2015” as Congress rolls closer to the May 31 deadline to extend transportation funding as the Highway […]

May 5, 2015

Roadbuilding

Fingers crossed: Senate highway bill could be unveiled soon

Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) may soon unveil a highway funding bill that would direct money to the struggling Highway Trust Fund from taxes on companies’ overseas earnings, according to Politico’s Morning Transportation report from Jan. 22. Paul, however, did not mention any specifics in his announcement about a potential bill of what […]

January 23, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan Senate votes to raise gas tax

The Michigan Senate has passed a bill to raise the state’s gas tax. The bill would approximately double Michigan’s fuel tax to raise about $1 billion a year more to fix transportation infrastructure. If the bill passes the House, the gas tax could increase from 19 cents a gallon all the way to 41 cents a gallon […]

November 25, 2014

Roadbuilding

Obama names new highway safety chief

President Obama has chosen National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Mark Rosekind to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA). If confirmed by the Senate, Rosekind will be the highway safety agency’s first full time chief in nearly a year. He has been a member of the NTSB since 2010. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx approved of Obama’s […]

November 21, 2014

Roadbuilding

Highway users, road builders oppose bill to surrender federal highway authority

Transportation interests have written Congress to express opposition to the so-called “devolution” of the federal highway program and the proposed Transportation Empowerment Act. The bill, introduced in the House and Senate last fall, transfers almost all authority over federal highway and transit programs to the states over a five-year period. It would lower the federal […]

September 18, 2014

Roadbuilding

Highway Trust Fund 2014: Timeline of Events

It felt like an eternity went by before Congress passed a bill to fund the Highway Trust Fund through May 2015. Unfortunately, for or as long as it took, nobody ended up happy with the outcome. Congress had months to work out a long-term deal and all they could agree on is a short-term plan […]

August 15, 2014

Roadbuilding

Congress passes Highway Trust Fund patch; Obama signs

Just hours after the House turned down the Senate’s highway funding bill, Congress has passed a $10.8 billion bill to fund the Highway Trust Fund. Without the temporary patch, the HTF would have run dry in the next month or so. The bill is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama and should allow […]

August 12, 2014

Roadbuilding

House votes down Senate’s highway bill, sets up must-act situation for Senate

The Senate now must choose Friday whether to accept the House’s 10-month highway funding patch or allow the Highway Trust Fund to go bankrupt, which would be construction projects around the country at risk, along with an estimated 700,000 jobs. The House voted 272-150 on a motion to “disagree” with the Senate’s changes to its bill. […]

July 31, 2014

Roadbuilding

Senate passes highway bill, vote sent back to house

The Senate has voted to pass a bill that would keep money flowing into the Highway Trust Fund for at least a few more months. The bill was in response to one that the House passed earlier in July. There were key legislation changes to the bill passed by the Senate which means a vote […]

July 30, 2014

Business

House passes $10.8 billion quick fix as highway construction funding nears insolvency

The House on Tuesday passed a nearly $11 billion quick fix that would stave off the looming insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), the primary source of federal funding for road construction and repairs. The bill passed a week after the White House and transportation officials urged lawmakers to try and find a long-term […]

July 16, 2014

Roadbuilding

House approves $11 billion trust fund patch

The House has passed a $11 billion plan to pay the federal government’s share of road and bridge repairs for the next 10 months. With time –and money – running out, the House recognizes that immediate action is needed. It voted 367-55 to pass the measure. The Senate is also expected to pass the bill […]

July 15, 2014