Highways, Bridges and Roads

Democrats in the House are pushing for a requirement that any projects paid for by a new federal highway bill be constructed using American supplies and construction workers.

House Republicans have suggested that a new surface transportation bill would be their counter to President Obama’s push for the lower chamber to pass his jobs bill. Democrats have introduced legislation that would require the transportation bill, which House leaders have suggested could cost as much as $280 billion, to include “Buy America” provisions.

“The Republican leadership has said that the major jobs bill of this Congress will be a surface transportation bill,” Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said in a news release. “The question is, where will they create the jobs? Will the jobs be created here at home, or abroad in China? 

Your morning transportation speed-read:

New York City is writing its newest street signs in Haikus.

Google will soon map airports.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is preparing for uncertain after American Airlines filed for bankruptcy.

Car sales received a boost from Black Friday too.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

A Transportation Security Administration worker has been charged with sexual assault.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is issuing more rail grants.

Maryland's new Intercounty Connector may be the last new highway in the state for long while.

Chicago has installed cameras on its CTA trains.

A group of Occupy Wall Street protesters is concluding a march on Tuesday from New York City to Washington that it is calling "Occupy the Highway."

The group plans to join protesters near the White House at Washington's McPherson Square around noon Tuesday, organizers said. The trip, which begin Nov. 10 and originated at New York's Zuccotti Park, took 230 miles.

The group plans to hold a press conference at McPherson Square before continuing to the Capitol.

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers have filed legislation to require the federal government and recipients of its transportation funding to give preference in hiring for construction projects to veterans of the military. 

The bill, filed by Reps. Tom Petri (R-WI) and Nick Rahall (D-W. Va.), has been been dubbed the Mobilizing Opportunities for Veterans Employment Act (H.R. 3473). 

The lawmakers — both members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — said the legislation was a win for both military personnel returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the nation's infrastructure, which they argued was badly in need of repair. 

“Our war veterans are a small part of the population who have taken on a heavy burden for all of us.  We owe them a tremendous debt,” Petri, chairman of the Transportation committee's subcommittee on Aviation, said in a statement. 

Your morning transportation speed-read:

A New York City pedestrian safety advocate died after being hit by a car.

A Chautauqua Airlines pilot got stuck in the bathroom, trigging a terrorism scare.

A light rail in Colorado is being brought to you by Coors Light.

The Occupy movement in Phoenix has its sights set on the Metro Light Rail there.

House Democrats criticized Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) announcement Wednesday of a proposal to pay for improvements to the nation’s transportation system with revenues from expanded drilling as being "short on details."

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the Speaker's plan to use revenue from opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska for oil drilling to pay for a five-year surface transportation bill was composed of recycled proposals.

"Nothing in today’s announcement identifies real, sustainable revenues needed to address our long-term surface transportation infrastructure investment needs," Rahall said in a statement. "Having both served on and chaired the Natural Resource Committee for many years, I have witnessed countless efforts to expand domestic energy production. 

Boehner's legislation would pay for infrastructure improvements with revenue from new drilling. 

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that the House is almost ready to vote on a long-term federal highway bill.
 
Speaking with reporters at the Capitol, Mica said that the House's version of the bill, which has been sought by transportation advocates since 2009, is 70 percent to 80 percent completed.
 
“We told leadership that if they can give us the time we could have it to the floor in a week and a half,” he said.

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The Senate is in a standoff with the House which has proposed a longer bill spending less money per year.