Four House Democrats have proposed legislation that would require airlines to put policies in place so families can sit next to each other on flights.

The Families Flying Together Act, H.R. 2191, is a response to the growing difficulties families face staying together on flights, as airlines have begun to charge for services such as making a specific seat request.

A Colorado lawmaker is calling for an audit of his regional Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office.

The lawmaker, Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), said the FAA has been slow to respond to requests for information that he requested on behalf of his constituents.

"It has come to my attention that the Denver Airports District Office, as part of the Northwest Mountain Region, has been negligent in processing permit applications for both commercial and agricultural usage," Gardner wrote in a letter to the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Inspector General Calvin Scovell.

"My office has received inadequate replies and even attempted to set-up a member level call with FAA administrators over three ago and received no response back," Gardner continued. "I write today to request an audit of the Denver Airports District Office by the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation. Throughout my tenure in Congress, these issues and problems with the Denver office have never been rectified and I hope a complete audit will help me and my constituents understand why these problems continue to occur."  

Two Democrats from Washington State say they are staying in touch with emergency workers and state officials after a portion of a bridge on Interstate 5 spanning the Skagit River collapsed.

No deaths were reported as of late Thursday night, but a few cars were on the section of the bridge as it fell into the river in a rural area of Washington.

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The price tag for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) has dwindled even further, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The CBO estimated Thursday that the cost of the government bailout, once billed as a $700 billion catastrophe, would end up costing $21 billion — $3 billion less than its estimate last October.

The losses stem primarily from the government's bailout of the American International Group (AIG) and domestic auto manufacturers, as well as housing relief programs that provided grants that were never meant to be repaid.

Tesla Automotive CEO and co-founder Elon Musk said climate advocates need to “reframe” the argument on climate science.

Musk, whose electric car firm repaid its $465 million Energy Department loan on Wednesday, urged attendees at a Washington, D.C., event to flip the burden of proof onto those who deny greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming.

“If you were to ask any scientist, ‘Are you absolutely certain’ about anything, they would say, ‘Well, no. There’s a .001 percent chance it could be different.’ So it’s better to actually say, ‘Look, how certain are you that it is not catastrophic?’ And then you’ll get the correct answer,” Musk said Wednesday night at the Climate Leadership Gala.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Thursday that it was awarding $3.7 billion to public transit systems that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy last year.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the money would be used to help transit agencies in New York and New Jersey repair equipment that was damaged in the storm, as well as prevent future reoccurrence.

"We continue to work closely with the transit agencies hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy to ensure they can recover from this terrible disaster and emerge stronger than before,” LaHood said in a statement. “The millions of riders in New York and New Jersey deserve a robust public transportation network that can deliver the service they depend on every day.” 

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers in the House announced on Thursday that they were forming a caucus for public transportation supporters.

The lawmakers, Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), said the caucus would "provide a forum for members of Congress to engage in constructive dialogue on the challenges and needs of mass transit agencies across the country."

“Buses, trains, and light rail that run safely and reliably reduce congestion on our roads, improve travel times across all modes, cut down on air pollution, and make our communities more attractive places to live, work, and own businesses,” Lipinski said in a statement. 

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