This week, the U.S. House of Representatives discussed replacing their initial 5-year reauthorization bill, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (AEIJA), with a reduced 18-month program.  This proposal would fund federal transportation programs through mid-2013, and would reconnect mass transit funding to the Highway Trust Fund .  Also this week, the U.S. Senate... Read More

This is the final Policy Update in a four-part series on public-private partnerships (PPPs).  The first two defined PPPs and discussed their role in the ongoing federal transportation reauthorization process.  The third discussed policy issues related to PPPs and transit projects . In 2011, the Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Act ( HB 1091 )was signed into... Read More

On February 23, 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives leadership indicated it may revise its five-year transportation reauthorization proposal, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (AEIJA).  These changes would reduce the length and perhaps the funding levels of the bill.  Additionally, the changes would restore mass transit funding to the Highway Trust Fund. ... Read More

On February 17, 2012, the U.S. Senate failed to invoke cloture on a package of committee-approved amendments to Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), its proposed federal transportation reauthorization bill.  If approved, the package would have blocked further amendment to the bill.  Several senators offered non-germane amendments to MAP-21 last week, including... Read More

While GO TO 2040 focused on voluntary actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it also noted the need for comprehensive federal action to achieve the reduction goals widely agreed upon within the scientific community. Although the prospects for comprehensive climate legislation look dim, a Policy Update from October 13, 2011, reported on federal agency initiatives to mitigate climate... Read More