Recent Streetsblog SF posts about Federal Stimulus Plan

Transportation Filibuster Update: Bunning Won’t Yield to Fellow GOPer

By Elana Schor | Mar 2, 2010 | No Comments

Federal infrastructure funding and many U.S. DOT workers remain in limbo today as Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) continues his one-man filibuster of legislation extending the 2005 transport law, turning himself into a Democratic target and a poster child for Washington gridlock. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) was heard quipping "tough s—t" as he began blocking an […]

Little-Known Provision in Senate Jobs Bill Could Spark House Resistance

By Elana Schor | Feb 24, 2010 | No Comments

The Senate passed its jobs bill today by a 70-28 vote, bringing Congress one step closer to a $20 billion transfer that would keep the nation’s highway trust fund solvent until 2011 and extend the 2005 federal transportation law. House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) (Photo: Capitol Chatter) The bill’s future in the House […]

House Lawmakers Hail Transportation Stimulus — But Add Three Caveats

By Elana Schor | Feb 23, 2010 | No Comments

At a House transportation committee hearing today that marked the one-year anniversary of the Obama administration’s economic recovery efforts, lawmakers offered praise for the stimulus law’s impact on local infrastructure investments even as they hit upon three key areas of concern with its implementation. The Port of Los Angeles was shut out of the stimulus’ […]

The Upside of GOP ‘Hypocrisy’ on Transportation Stimulus Grants

By Elana Schor | Feb 22, 2010 | No Comments

To call Rep. Pete Sessions (TX), chairman of the House Republican campaign committee, a critic of the Obama administration’s stimulus law would be putting it mildly. Sessions marked the one-year anniversary of the law’s passage last week by labeling the stimulus a "massive spending binge" that only "allegedly" created jobs in his district. Is his […]

17 Democrats Urge Reid: Don’t Forget Infrastructure in Your Jobs Push

By Elana Schor | Feb 18, 2010 | No Comments

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) plans to call up a job creation bill on Monday that includes a stopgap rescue of the highway trust fund but none of the new infrastructure spending okayed by the House. Even that pared-down measure faces a GOP filibuster threat, but many Democrats remain undaunted in their push for […]

A Day After Their TIGER Win, Freight Railroads Carve Out More Turf

By Elana Schor | Feb 18, 2010 | 3 Comments

The freight rail industry yesterday claimed the top three awards in the Obama administration’s competition for $1.5 billion in TIGER stimulus grants, with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood singling out train shippers for an online shout-out: (Chart: AAR) You know, although passengers and commuters have human faces, we need to remember that trade depends upon the […]

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