Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will vote for Sen. Roy Blunt's (R-Mo.) amendment on the Obama administration's contraception mandate.

"While I would have preferred that both sides would have come together around a solution like we had in West Virginia, I am voting in favor of this measure to protect the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America," Manchin said in a statement.

Manchin also notes that in his home state, West Virginia law requires contraceptive coverage but also guarantees "religious freedom for employers or institutions that object to such services." The law requires health insurance companies to also provide contraceptive care but exempts religious institutions that object based on "religious tenets."

Manchin's announcement comes as Democrats and Republicans clash over an amendment by Blunt that would allow insurance companies and employers of certain religious institutions to opt out of the Obama administration's law requiring insurance provers make available contraceptive care to employees without a co-pay.

The administration originally required the institutions to provide contraceptive care, but after strong criticism from religious organizations and Republicans, it altered the rule so that the organizations themselves would not be forced to provide the coverage.

The Senate will vote on Blunt's amendment Thursday.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said this week that critics who argue the $260 billion highway bill proposed by the House of Representatives was too small were "smoking the funny weed."

U.S. policymakers have few options to significantly lower gas prices in the short term, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told a House committee Wednesday.

Bernanke, testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, said market fears stemming from supply disruptions in Iran are the main cause of high gas prices.

“So I think the best thing we could do would be to resolve that situation, but obviously that's well beyond my capacity or probably anyone's capacity,” Bernanke said, referring to the threats by Iran to cut off the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic oil route. 

“So I'm not sure what can be done to provide substantial relief in the very short term.”

Bernanke’s comments come as U.S. gas prices are soaring, reaching an average of $3.73 per gallon Wednesday. That’s up about 15 cents from this time last week.

Rep. Don Young said the accident happened because "we had a captain who forgot he was a captain."

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he honks at drivers he sees using cellphones behind the wheels of cars.

Newark, N.J.'s Liberty International Airport was shut down by a plane making an emergency landing.

Frankfurt, Germany's airport is seeking an injunction to end a strike there.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering requiring rearview cameras in automobiles.

Their tight relationship was put to the test when the House transportation bill went awry.

Congressional Democrats are ramping up pressure on President Obama to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that he would re-open debate on the $109 billion transportation bill being considered by his chamber on Tuesday.

The transportation bill has been held up since before the Presidents Day recess over amendments supporters have said are not germane to the measure. It would would fund road and transit projects over a two-year period.

Reid said Tuesday in remarks on the floor of the Senate that he would allow votes on some of the controversial amendments, starting with a measure about contraception authored by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), in an effort to win 60 votes for proceeding toward final passage of the transportation bill.

"Republicans made it clear we would not be able to move forward on this bill without a vote," Reid said. "I believe it is vital to get this jobs bill done but standing in the way are Republicans … so after discussing it I have decided we should just set up a vote on the Blunt amendment."

President Obama gave a vote of confidence to both his reelection chances and the beleaguered Chevrolet Volt electric car Tuesday in a speech to auto workers in Washington. 

Speaking at the United Auto Workers Conference, Obama said he would he would buy a Volt  "five years from now when I'm not president anymore." 

The friendly audience Obama, who does not drive himself much of anywhere right now, was speaking to responded by chanting "four more years."