A pair of prominent Republican senators is firing back against a couple of recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions.

Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) plan to introduce legislation this week that would strengthen the protection of right-to-work laws, which say that employees cannot be required to join a union. Such laws are currently on the books in more than 20 states.

The measure is a response to some recent decisions from the NLRB, which filed a complaint against Boeing for moving a second production line from a union plant in Washington state to a non-union facility in South Carolina. 

The board also has signaled that it will push forward with lawsuits against Arizona and South Dakota over state constitutional amendments that say workers can form unions only through secret-ballot elections. 

A former longtime chief of staff to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy who also managed Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign has been named political director for the United Auto Workers.
 
The UAW, one of the largest unions for employees of the Detroit-based U.S. auto companies, said Tuesday Mary Beth Cahill would run its Washington office. In addition to working for Kennedy and Kerry, both Massachusetts Democrats, Cahill worked in President Bill Clinton White House's Office of Public Liasion and at EMILY's List.
 
UAW president Bob King said that experience will make Cahill invaluable to the auto union, which has clashed with Congress during negotiations over the conditions of federal assistance sought by the struggling auto firms. 

The chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation committee has filed a bill to block alternative legislation that allows a heavier weight for trucks on highways.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg's (D-N.J.) legislation, dubbed the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 2011, would continue a ban on trucks weighing more than 80,000 pounds or being longer than 53 feet. It also would expand the current ban from the interstate highway system to the national highway system.

But last month another measure, backed by Democrats and Republicans, was filed to allow states to permit trucks on their roads up to 97,000 pounds if they have six axles instead of five.

A supermajority of voters think a gallon of regular gas will cost $5 by July 1, according to a new poll released Tuesday.

A telephone survey of 1,000 voters by Virginia-based Rasmussen Reports found that 72 percent thought it was "somewhat likely" gas prices would be above $5 per gallon soon. Two months ago, only 58 percent of those polled told Rasmussen this summer would bring gas prices that high. The poll was taken over the weekend.

Just 25 percent say its not likely gas prices will rise to $5, the poll said.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Tuesday the House would take up bills to allow more domestic oil drilling after hearing concerns about gas prices during the two-week congressional recess.

Cantor (R-Va.) said the House would vote on the bills to "send a message" to the Obama administration, which has blocked increased drilling since the massive 2010 Gulf oil spill.

"Our members came back … and heard from their constituents over the last two weeks, and suffice it to say, they got an earful on gas prices," he said at a press conference. "One of the questions they got asked is 'how can a country so great as America not have a coherent energy policy?' And in the House, we're going to try to do something about that."

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Ray LaHood is confident there will be a transportation bill this year.

New York City is doing its own transportation census.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) says he is not surprised federal officials are making his state give back money for a canceled commuter tunnel.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has another decision looming on a railway in Florida.

Rep. Giffords (D-Ariz.) is likely to attend. "That's the plan," her office said.

The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said his thoughts immediately turned to the safety of America's transportation system after President Obama announced the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) praised the military personnel involved in the raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan and said it is important that the U.S. transportation system remain on guard.

“Having recently been in Afghanistan and met with our soldiers and military leaders, I am once again convinced that, if provided the resources and support of the Congress and the American people, they can complete any assignment," Mica, who drafted the legislation to create the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said in a statement released after Obama's announcement.

"Now my concern turns to terrorist retaliation, particularly in the area of transportation. Making certain that all Americans are safe and secure in their travels remains my top priority," Mica said.  

The national union for flight attendants praised the U.S. government for killing terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, saying its members were especially affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks he masterminded.

"Ten years after September 11th emotions still run deep," Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Vice President Sara Nelson said in a statement released Monday. "We are grateful to our president and all of the women and men who are responsible for bringing this sense of justice for our friends and heroes who were the first to give their lives in defense of our country that day."

Nelson said the flight attendants on the planes that bin Laden ordered hijacked and flown into buildings became "first responders" in the attack.