Transportation and Infrastructure

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and three other House Democrats have put forward legislation that would require anyone seeking flight training in certain aircraft to be checked against the federal government's terrorist watchlist.

The Flight School Security Act would apply to people who want to be trained on aircraft with a takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds. That would exclude light aircraft that can seat roughly 10 to 20 passengers.

Two House Democrats from Michigan have proposed legislation that would prevent auto insurance companies from using credit scores as a factor in determining auto insurance rates, a change that would dramatically reduce these rates in their home state and around the country.

Reps. Hansen Clarke (D) and John Conyers Jr. (D) last week introduced the Ban the Use of Credit Scores in Auto Insurance Act, along with Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). The bill would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act so that reports on consumer credit could not be used to set auto insurance rates.

The letter follows Chrysler saying one death occurred in a Jeep that could have been caused by a vibrating suspension.

The ceremony will follow a two-day bus trip through Ohio and Pennsylvania for Obama.

Soon after passing the highway-flood-student loan bill, the House and Senate approved H.R. 6064, which would extend highway funding and the low student interest rate for one week.

The extension is needed because it is expected to take several days to enroll the larger bill, and the highway and student loan authorizations expire this weekend. Enrollment is the process of preparing the bill for the president's signature, and it will likely take several days.

The massive package will likely be the last major piece of legislation passed by Congress until after the November elections.

The House approved a bill funding the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for 2013, the sixth of 12 spending bills the House is hoping to finish before the end of the fiscal year.

Members approved the bill, H.R. 5972, in a 261-163 vote. The bill, H.R. 5972, was supported by 76 Democrats, and 54 Republicans voted against it.

The House approved a rule governing debate for a bill that would extend federal highway programs for two years, reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program and keep the interest rate on federally backed student loans for another year.

Members voted 244-176 in favor of the rule, setting up House passage of the bill, H.R. 4348, later in the day.

The House quickly approved two port security bills under a suspension of House rules.

The bills were debated Monday along with other non-controversial bills. They are:

The House late Wednesday approved 10 amendments to the 2013 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development spending bill, before adjourning just before 11:15 p.m.

Still up for a vote on Thursday are proposals to cut $500 million from the bill, and prohibit the government from requiring GPS tracking devices in cars, among others.