BAF IN THE NEWS:
Politico: Bloomberg’s Washington footprint explodes
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/bloomberg-washington-footprint-86874.html?hp=t1_3
NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has expanded his Washington footprint dramatically over the past two years, using his enormous clout and seasoned lobbying hands to push a nexus of issues that the White House and Congress are just beginning to address.
Politico Pro: 'High-speed rail is coming to America' is one of Ray LaHood’s favorite stump lines.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's departure means President Barack Obama is losing a trusted quarterback for his ambitious high-speed rail dreams and a key defender of his stimulus spending — both programs that have fallen out of favor with lawmakers.
Please find the full article following “State News.”
Politico Pro: LaHood announces his exit
It’s official — Ray LaHood announced Tuesday that he will leave his post as secretary of transportation, the latest in a line of Cabinet members to step down following President Barack Obama’s reelection.
Please find the full article following “State News.”
Politico: Morning Transportation
By Burgess Everett and Adam Snider Featuring Kathryn A. Wolfe, Scott Wong, Talia Buford and Caitlin Emma
1/30/13
More: APTA President Michael Melaniphy emphasized that LaHood understands “transportation is not a collection of monolithic modes, but is instead an interconnected system.” ABA head Peter Pantuso praised LaHood for prioritizing the shutdown of shady bus companies and said his “leadership is also preventing unsafe drivers from getting back behind the wheel.” Building America’s Future Co-Chairman Ed Rendell -- a favorite rumored successor — called LaHood “one of the stars of President Obama’s Cabinet” and said “he will be a hard act to follow.” AFL-CIO TTD head Ed Wytkind said the departure is “a loss for the nation as we strive to address America’s mounting passenger and freight transportation needs.” And California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Jeff Morales said it was LaHood’s “personal commitment that helped move the high-speed rail project forward.”
Airports Capital International – North America: ACI-NA Releases 2013 Capital Needs Survey
http://www.aci-na.org/newsroom/press-releases/aci-na-releases-2013-capital-needs-survey
Washington, DC – America’s airports need to complete $71.3 billion worth of essential infrastructure projects between now and 2017, including major runway and terminal expansions that are required to keep pace with passenger growth forecasts, according to a new report issued today by Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA).
Bloomberg Businessweek (Associated Press Reprint): NYC mayor unveils $70B budget plan
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-01-29/nyc-mayor-unveils-70b-budget-plan
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City's mayor has unveiled a proposed budget that totals just over $70 billion. The proposal unveiled Tuesday is for the fiscal year that starts July 1. It's Mayor Michael Bloomberg's final budget plan. This is the term-limited mayor's last year in office. The mayor's plan usually starts months of negotiations among policymakers, elected officials and advocates. Then the City Council approves a budget.
New York Times: LaHood to Leave Transportation Department
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/lahood-to-leave-transportation-department/
Ray LaHood, the former Republican congressman from Illinois who has run the nation’s Transportation Department under President Obama, will not serve a second term, he told department employees in a letter on Tuesday.
Washington Post: Ray LaHood to step down as U.S. transportation secretary
Ray LaHood, the Illinois Republican who turned distracted driving into a national crusade while serving a Democratic president, will step down after four years as transportation secretary in the Obama administration.
The Hill: Villaraigosa, Granholm on long list of rumored successors to LaHood
Speculation on Ray LaHood's replacement as President Obama's Transportation secretary is focusing on a group of former transportation officials and 2012 presidential campaign surrogates — including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D).
NATIONAL NEWS:
MSNBC: McDonnell: electoral college changes are 'a bad idea no matter who does it'
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-daily-rundown/50627104/#50627104
Gov. Bob McDonnell, R-Va., tells The Daily Rundown’s Chuck Todd why he opposes the electoral college system change, his thoughts on the bi-partisan proposal on immigration and talks about his proposals for new transportation funding.
NPR/WAMU: Virginia Shies Away From Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax By: Martin Di Caro // January 29, 2013
http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/13/01/29/virginia_shies_away_from_vehicle_miles_traveled_tax
Key votes are expected this week in the Virginia General Assembly on Governor Bob McDonnell's transportation funding plan that would replace the state gas tax with a higher sales tax. Another transportation tax, known as the vehicles miles traveled tax, will not be on the table, however.
New York Times: Boeing Battery Was a Concern Before Failure
Even before two battery failures led to the grounding of all Boeing 787 jets this month, the lithium-ion batteries used on the aircraft had experienced multiple problems that raised questions about their reliability.
Fast Lane: I will not serve a second term; but we have more work to do
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2013/01/all-good-things.html#.UQkyux1EHjs
I want Fast Lane readers to be among the first to know that I will not serve a second term as Secretary of Transportation. One of the best things about the four years that I have served in this office is the ability to share the achievements of DOT with readers of this blog. It's no secret that I value the work we do here, and it has been a pleasure to demonstrate that twice daily on the Fast Lane.
Transportation Nation: A Pay-Per-Mile Road Tax Could Target Transpo Funding — But It’s Years Away
As federal and state governments struggle to adequately fund their transportation networks, a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax has potential to increase revenues — but the establishment of the tax is probably years away.
Transportation For America: US Transportation Secretary departs, leaving a legacy of memorable initiatives
The news many had suspected was confirmed to be true this morning in a blog post from Secretary LaHood himself — the Transportation Secretary is planning to step aside for President Obama’s second term:
The Atlantic Cities: 5 Ways the Next U.S. Secretary of Transportation Will Be Forced to Follow Ray LaHood's Lead
Ray LaHood is probably best known to the broader public as the bureaucrat who has spent the last four years railing against distracted driving. Under his tenure as U.S. Secretary of Transportation, his department launched a public service onslaught warning of the modern perils of texting while driving (our favorite detail: the federal government now runs a slick website called distraction.gov).
STATE NEWS:
Texas Tribune: Governor Readies State of the State Address No. 7
http://www.texastribune.org/2013/01/29/governor-readies-state-state-no-7/
Gov. Rick Perry has given six State of the State addresses, outlining his vision for the state and his strategies for each legislative session. Before lunch Tuesday, he’ll deliver the seventh, telling the 83rd Legislature — and the rest of us — what’s on his mind and what he hopes to accomplish along with state lawmakers before the end of the regular session on Memorial Day.
The Times Picayune: Officials tout Loyola streetcar line as 'stimulus' project that worked
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/01/officials_tout_loyola_streetca.html
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood lavished praise on Mayor Mitch Landrieu and local transportation officials on Monday at the ceremonial opening of the new streetcar line on Loyola Avenue, using the project as a rejoinder to critics of President Obama's efforts to stimulate the economy with infrastructure spending.
The Atlantic Cities: It's Not Easy Being a Transit Advocate in Atlanta
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/01/its-not-easy-being-transit-advocate-atlanta/4518/
Last July, residents of Atlanta took their long pent-up frustration with some of the worst traffic congestion in the country to the voting booth. On the ballot: a one-cent sales tax increase, projected to raise billions of dollars over 10 years to improve local roads, upgrade the transit system, build out streetcars, trails and Bus Rapid Transit. The vote was, in and of itself, a major milestone in this car-bound city.
The Star Ledger: N.J. Turnpike Authority to borrow $1.4B to continue highway widening, other projects
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/turnpike_authority_to_borrow_1.html
Without an infusion of cash, major New Jersey Turnpike Authority projects that include widening the Turnpike for the 35 miles between Exits 6 and 9 and getting rid of the only traffic lights on the Garden State Parkway would stop mid-shovel in May.
Missourinet: You are here: Home / Featured / Mass transit system could be in the cards for Missouri http://www.missourinet.com/2013/01/29/mass-transit-system-could-be-in-the-cards-for-missouri-audio/
It’s a possibility that Missouri might be looking at getting a mass transit system throughout the state in the future.
Greater Greater Washington: Virginia legislators say "raise the gas tax"
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/17528/virginia-legislators-say-raise-the-gas-tax/
In response to Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's insane plan to fund transportation by eliminating the gas tax, Democrats in Virginia's House of Delegates have proposed an alternative. It combines Democratic and Republican proposals to increase the gas tax statewide and give Northern Virginia separate authority to raise its own new funds.
Politico Pro: 'High-speed rail is coming to America' is one of Ray LaHood’s favorite stump lines.
By BURGESS EVERETT AND KATHRYN A. WOLFE
1/29/13
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's departure means President Barack Obama is losing a trusted quarterback for his ambitious high-speed rail dreams and a key defender of his stimulus spending — both programs that have fallen out of favor with lawmakers.
Congressional appetite for Obama’s $53 billion plan to bring high-speed rail within reach of most of America has waned since lawmakers appropriated an initial $10 billion for high-speed and intercity rail during his first term. But LaHood’s dedication to the program hasn’t.
“High-speed rail is coming to America” is one of LaHood’s favorite stump lines — and he’s kept saying it, even at appearances through last year. He’s also tenacious in defending the administration’s transportation-related stimulus spending. He routinely recounts how it’s created jobs and kept investments in roads and bridges rolling in a tough economy, even as even as members of both parties recoil from the mere word “stimulus.”
It remains to be seen whether LaHood’s replacement will be as vocal a champion of Obama’s big-spending transportation dreams, but one thing is indisputable: He or she will have to wrestle with the same highway and transit funding problems that have marked LaHood’s tenure. The Band-Aid that Congress put over highway and transit funding will rip itself off in 2014 with no obvious balm in sight.
LaHood, who told POLITICO that Obama had asked him to stay on, said he was “conflicted” about leaving the “best job” he’s ever had. And he said the president praised his steady hand at DOT.
“Over the last years, we haven’t caused him any headaches, we haven’t caused him any problems,” LaHood said. “I think the president has appreciated the way we’ve run the department.”
LaHood said Obama also appreciated the agenda he carried out, from increasing fuel-efficiency standards without Congress to spreading billions around the country for high-speed rail.
In a statement, Obama said that “every American who travels by air, rail or highway can thank Ray for his commitment to making our entire transportation system safer and stronger.”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he had “urged” Obama to appoint LaHood in the first place, and he singled out LaHood’s support for the stimulus program as well as high-speed rail.
“He inherited an agency during extremely difficult economic times,” Durbin said in a statement, adding that LaHood’s safety legacy will “impact generations of Americans.” Durbin also said he’ll miss his “partnership and sound advice.”
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), the top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee, said LaHood “put party politics aside in order to help modernize our transportation infrastructure and speed our economic recovery.”
The White House declined to specify a timeline for selecting a successor, and names swirling include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who would bolster the administration’s Hispanic credentials, and NTSB Chairwoman Debbie Hersman, who would give him a female cabinet pick. Another long-shot candidate could be former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), who has said he’s interested in the job, though his baggage with the administration may hurt his chances.
Other wild card candidates include former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who might be a bit too much of a straight-talking maverick, and former Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), whose outspoken nature might also hurt his chances.
Rendell added his own praise in a statement Tuesday.
“Secretary LaHood has been one of the stars of President Obama’s Cabinet,” said Rendell, who’s now co-chairman of Building America’s Future. “From his advocacy for investment in our roads, rails, ports and aviation systems to his incredibly effective implementation of the stimulus transportation funding, especially the TIGER grant program, he covered all the bases with passion and commitment. … He will be a hard act to follow."
Though the “who's next” parlor game continues unabated, in some respects it might be academic: It's not uncommon for the job of DOT secretary to be filled by someone from out of left field. For instance, LaHood wasn't anywhere near most transportation insiders' shortlists, and his selection was greeted with raised eyebrows and some puzzlement.
When LaHood will officially leave is up in the air. He said he didn’t want to discuss whom he’d like to see succeed him or what qualities the next secretary should have until he leaves DOT’s southeast Washington headquarters for the last time. Until then, he said he is focusing on his job and continuing to crisscross the country as one of the president’s top economic ambassadors.
“Really, I’ve resisted talking to people about the future until I walk out the door,” he said. “I’m going to stay around until someone’s confirmed by the Senate.”
Politico Pro: LaHood announces his exit
By Kathryn A. Wolfe and Burgess Everett
1/29/13
It’s official — Ray LaHood announced Tuesday that he will leave his post as secretary of transportation, the latest in a line of Cabinet members to step down following President Barack Obama’s reelection.
President Obama said “every American who travels by air, rail or highway can thank Ray for his commitment to making our entire transportation system safer and stronger.”
The White House declined to specify a timeline for selecting a successor, and names swirling include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who would bolster the administration’s Hispanic credentials, and NTSB Chairwoman Debbie Hersman, who would give him a female Cabinet pick. Another long-shot candidate could be former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), who has said he’s interested in the job, though his baggage with the administration may hurt his chances.
Other wild card candidates include former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who may be a bit too much of a straight-talking maverick; and Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), whose outspoken nature may also hurt his chances.
In a telephone interview, LaHood said that Obama asked him to stay on, but the former Republican congressman said this is “probably the best time for me to leave.” LaHood said he won’t depart until his successor is confirmed, which gives the president some breathing room in selecting a new leader for the Transportation Department at the dawn of his second term.
“He asked me to stay. I’ve given it a lot of thought. The bottom line is I’ve been in public service now for 35 years,” LaHood said. “I believe in going out while they’re applauding. It’s a combination of talking it over with my wife and the fact that this was the right time to go.”
During his tenure, LaHood launched a full-court press to crack down on distracted driving. He also oversaw several significant rulemakings, including those stemming from an FAA reauthorization last year and a 2010 aviation safety bill that mandated many new aviation safety and consumer protections.
Whoever follows LaHood will again have to play point man for the administration on the next transportation bill on a speeded-up timetable, since the current one will expire in 2014. That means hitting the ground running as the debate over how to shore up flagging receipts into the Highway Trust Fund gains momentum.
Any new secretary is likely to face tough scrutiny from Congress, which has been angered by the administration’s refusal to send it formal transportation reauthorization proposals. The White House has also been cagey in deciding how to pay for the bills, declining to identify a specific revenue source other than from defense savings from a “peace dividend.”
The new secretary also will have to finish the push to implement a myriad of rules laid out by MAP-21, the transportation bill enacted last year. And, he or she will inherit several contentious rulemakings that have dragged out, including one that would strengthen pilot training standards and raise the number of hours required to fly a commercial passenger airplane.
In addition to his efforts to craft strict rules on distracted driving, LaHood has played quarterback for the administration’s high speed rail program, even in the face of significant opposition. And, he has been an unwavering booster of the administration’s stimulus spending programs for infrastructure.
LaHood steered the department through a very high-profile series of hearings and congressional scrutiny following the recall of millions of Toyotas over reports of sudden unintended acceleration. LaHood’s personal relationships with lawmakers and his ease at handling the media spotlight helped soothe wounds he’d incurred earlier in his tenure when he spoke too freely.
Soon after he was confirmed, LaHood suggested that a vehicle-miles-traveled fee ought to be considered as a replacement or supplement for the gas tax. But the White House quickly slapped him down, saying the administration didn’t support such a thing.
He also has had to weather other public relations disasters, including an FAA administrator who resigned after having been arrested for allegedly driving drunk and high-profile incidents involving sleeping air traffic controllers.
The former administrator’s case was later dismissed.
Adam Snider contributed to this report.
Politico Pro: Senators pitch LaHood replacements
By Adam Snider
1/29/13
Senators are already staking out their favorites to replace outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and some come with a definite bias toward their home states.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, praised Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, saying in an interview with POLITICO that she would “certainly support him strongly” if he’s nominated.
“He made transportation one of his signature issues,” Boxer said of Villaraigosa’s work on the city’s transit woes. The mayor visited D.C. a number of times last year as Congress struggled to enact a transportation bill and became one of the strongest non-Washington voices in support of the legislation.
An aide to Villaraigosa referred questions about his candidacy to the White House, which declined to comment on any issues other than confirming that LaHood is leaving.
West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin offered up Rep. Nick Rahall, the top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee, who is also mulling a Senate bid in 2014.
“Can you think of anybody who has more experience than Nick Rahall?" said Manchin, whose wife went to high school with Rahall. "Can you? I don't. He's knowledgeable, he's pragmatic. He's very good to work with. He'd be great.”
But not all members of the upper chamber are name-dropping their favorites. A number of senators interviewed by POLITICO declined to suggest who should take the job, instead laying out some broad personal traits they’d like to see in the next secretary.
Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller, whose panel will hold the confirmation hearing on LaHood’s replacement, said whoever takes the job faces a high bar.
“It covers so much stuff, you have to get somebody who’s terrifically self-confident, who’s very, very good with the public,” the West Virginia Democrat said.
Senate Commerce member Mark Begich (D-Alaska) warned against any talk of a vehicle miles-traveled fee that would disproportionately affect rural drivers.
“We’re not very big fans of that, so whoever talks about that may not do real well in the Commerce Committee with me,” Begich told POLITICO of a VMT fee. “I’m going to be anxious to see how they look at rural impacts and how they look at their funding formulas. It can’t just have a one-size-fits-all.”
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) also said the way rural states are treated would be a key issue for the next secretary.
Johnson, who didn’t have an ideal candidate “off the top of [his] head,” said the next secretary “should have a balanced view of rural versus urban.”
“And of course I’m very concerned about the rural transportation issues and the transit issues,” Johnson said.
Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) said the balance of power with DOT and the administration could be an issue. “The larger question is what kind of authority is the president willing to give to his Cabinet members? Is it simply carrying out the White House directive policy, which is their right to do? He's the boss," he said in an interview.
Boxer said the next secretary needs to take a long, hard look at the future of transportation financing — something she and House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) have already talked about, a full year and a half before the next bill is due.
“We need to find a steady source of funding for the Highway Trust Fund as we move to fuel efficiency, electric cars,” Boxer said. “The fund is a diminishing source of revenue, so that’s something we need, someone who comes in there with an understanding of how we finance the trust fund and has notions of some solutions and understands the relationships between the federal government and the states.”
Although it was long expected in the transportation community, the news of LaHood’s departure caught several senators off guard.
“I was surprised. I thought he was going to stay,” Commerce ranking member John Thune (R-S.D.) said.
As for replacements, Thune said: “I don’t know who they’re talking about. I guess it won’t be long before they are talking about somebody.” He added that he wanted “somebody I can work with.”
“I just heard the news. I assume that Ray was going to continue. He’s done an outstanding job,” Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) said. Holding his hand over his heart, Nelson added that he was “crushed” by the news of LaHood’s departure.
Burgess Everett and Scott Wong contributed to this report.
Politico Pro: Warner takes baton on infrastructure bank
By Kathryn A. Wolfe
1/29/13
Sen. Mark Warner is picking up the baton for a national infrastructure bank and calling on unions and business interests to back him the way they supported Sen. John Kerry when he was the bank's most high-profile champion.
Advocates for a national infrastructure bank, which would focus on developing large-scale infrastructure projects, had hoped Warner (D-Va.) would step in to fill the gap left by Kerry and former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas).
On Tuesday, Warner confirmed that he’ll be their man, and would continue to press to establish an infrastructure bank similar to what was proposed in a bill Kerry and Hutchison worked on together that died at the end of last year.
In a letter to the AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce obtained by POLITICO, Warner noted both groups’ presence at a press conference to roll out the bill when it was first introduced and said he looks “forward to continuing that work together.”
He also hinted that he will push for the bill to be part of the debate when lawmakers hash out how to finance the next transportation bill. Senior transportation lawmakers are already holding early talks on the thorny topic, with at least one agenda meeting having taken place between Senate EPW Chairwoman Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and House Transportation Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster.
Warner called for “addressing long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and also through alternative financing mechanisms,” such as the bank.
“We will need to make some important decisions about finding additional revenues for our infrastructure investments, but part of the solution also lies in looking to alternative financing mechanisms,” Warner wrote.
“Alternative financing,” an umbrella code-word for things such as tolling and public-private partnerships, is usually never far from Republicans’ lips when they talk about ways to address the growing transportation funding gap.
But a national infrastructure bank has never been popular among Republican lawmakers, who hesitate to create a new bureaucracy to spend money; they have preferred to support state-level infrastructure banks.
Democrats haven’t all been on board with the idea, either, despite support from the administration, in part because the bank would remove lawmakers’ hands from the purse strings.
The Kerry-Hutchison bill, which Warner endorsed and is now spearheading himself, would use $10 billion in seed money to provide loans and loan guarantees for infrastructure projects defined broadly — to include energy and water infrastructure. The bank would have a governing body appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Politico: Morning Transportation
By Burgess Everett and Adam Snider Featuring Kathryn A. Wolfe, Scott Wong, Talia Buford and Caitlin Emma
1/30/13
LOADS OF LaHOOD: Even though President Barack Obama asked him to stay, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will leave DOT after his successor is confirmed (in about two months, he estimated to AP). Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to what it means for transportation, what senators tasked with confirming the next secretary think about it all and much, much more. But first ...
EXCLUSIVE — Don’t expect big transpo pitch from Obama in SOTU: LaHood told MT in a phone interview that President Obama is “focused on a few other issues right now, like trying to fill his Cabinet posts, like gun control, like immigration,” so he cautioned that Obama may not pitch anything big for the roads and rails in the next few weeks. “There will be plenty of time for him to focus on infrastructure,” LaHood emphasized, adding that he and DOT have a “lot of balls in the air over here” for LaHood to work on in his final weeks.
SENATORS STAKE OUT THEIR PICKS — OR NOT: Between MT and teammate Scott, we chatted with eight key transportation senators within a few hours of the LaHood news breaking. Two of them kept things local in suggesting who would be great in the job, some talked generally about what qualities the next secretary should have — and several were so shocked by the news that they didn’t have much of a reaction aside from praising the Peoria native. Should L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa be nominated, EPW Chairwoman Barbara Boxer said she would “certainly support him strongly,” adding that “he made transportation one of his signature issues.”
Not down with VMT: West Virginia’s Joe Manchin floated the name of T&I ranking member Nick Rahall, who is also mulling a 2014 Senate bid. But other senators stuck to the basics, with Mark Begich and Banking Chairman Tim Johnson saying rural issues should be on the next secretary’s mind. Begich, who sits on the Commerce Committee that will hold confirmation hearings on LaHood’s replacement, also cautioned against any talk of a VMT fee: “We’re not very big fans of that, so whoever talks about that may not do real well in the Commerce Committee with me,” he told MT. Adam has the story for Pros: http://politico.pro/XImTmA
HIGH-SPEED LEGACY: LaHood's departure means President Obama is losing a trusted quarterback for his ambitious high-speed rail dreams and a key defender of his stimulus spending — both programs that have fallen out of favor with lawmakers. Congressional appetite for Obama’s $53 billion plan to bring high-speed rail within reach of most of America has waned since lawmakers appropriated an initial $10 billion for high-speed and intercity rail during his first term. But LaHood’s dedication to the program hasn’t. Burgess and Kathryn have the Pro story: http://politico.pro/119nhxe
Acting fast: TID’s Larry Ehl highlights the skepticism that greeted LaHood when his pick was announced, an event that could be resurrected when his successor steps into the Senate spotlight. http://bit.ly/VHmPoN
Obama asked LaHood to stay: “He asked me to stay. I’ve given it a lot of thought,” LaHood told Burgess soon after the news broke. “The bottom line is I’ve been in public service now for 35 years,” LaHood said. “I believe in going out while they’re applauding. It’s a combination of talking it over with my wife and the fact that this was the right time to go.” More for Pros: http://politico.pro/VuivNO
LaHood’s letter to DOT employees: Read the note sent to staff Tuesday morning: http://bit.ly/TRNLGd
The list? Sen. Claire McCaskill is looking at her own short list of names and may be setting up meetings soon. That list includes “people I think would be great, people that we've looked at,” she told Scott, but declined to say who exactly is on her list.
OBERSTAR BULLISH ON WHITE HOUSE PROPOSAL: Former House T&I Chairman Jim Oberstar, before the LaHood news broke, told us that he thinks the White House has seen the light, so to speak, when it comes to a long-term, well-funded transportation proposal. “I think they’ve turned the corner over there at the White House. I’ve just had an inkling from just some indications,” said Oberstar, who famously clashed with the administration over his ambitious $500 billion transportation bill that was squashed by White House opposition to the gas tax needed to fund it. “I think the message has come through. I think they’re serious at the White House now, from just comments that I’ve gotten from insiders,” Oberstar said.
And Mineta bullish on Oberstar at DOT: Oberstar ticked off his credentials in his recent chat with MT — and he’s not the only one who thinks he should get the job. Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta heaped the praise on Oberstar. “Jim Oberstar had a tremendous record in the House and is knowledgeable about transportation issues,” Mineta told Scott. “He has always known the inner workings of the committee and has a good relationship with members. He’d have a real leg up and would be well qualified.” The two Democrats served in the House for two decades. Mineta was secretary from 2001 to 2006 in the George W. Bush administration, and Oberstar lost a bid for his 19th term to Republican Chip Cravaack in 2010.
SILVER LINE SAVIOR: LaHood has also been praised widely in the region for stepping in to avert a nasty battle over Metro’s Silver Line extension to Dulles Airport. Metro GM and CEO Richard Sarles said the transit agency has appreciated LaHood’s leadership and support for safety initiatives and investments that have moved the system forward. “In particular, his leadership to make the Silver Line a reality, his partnership as we advance our multiyear rebuilding of the system, and his support of the improvements that have made Metro safer during his tenure,” Sarles said.
NOTHING BUT POSITIVE VIBES FOR LaHOOD: MT’s inboxes were flooded with responses to the secretary’s planned departure — and nary a one had a bad word for LaHood. President Barack Obama said he and the secretary “were drawn together by a shared belief that those of us in public service owe an allegiance not to party or faction, but to the people we were elected to represent.” Majority Whip Dick Durbin said he pushed Obama to select LaHood to lead DOT and that “Ray’s legacy will be substantial in Washington, but it will be even greater back home in Illinois … I will miss his partnership and his sound advice.” T&I’s Nick Rahall, who also served with LaHood in the House and on T&I, called the secretary’s tenure “incredibly successful” and Chairman Bill Shuster said he “greatly” appreciates the friendship he has with LaHood. New Aviation panel Chairman Frank LoBiondo said LaHood "exemplifies what is in too short supply in Washington these days,” a nod to perhaps Obama’s most bipartisan cabinet member. Want more evidence? EPW’s top Republican Sen. David Vitter said he wishes his “friend from the House Ray LaHood all the best,” a better treatment than Interior Secretary Ken Salazar got from the Louisianan, who “honestly won’t miss” Salazar.
INFRASTRUCTURE BANK BATON: Sen. Mark Warner is picking up the baton for a national infrastructure bank and calling on unions and business interests to back him the way they supported Sen. John Kerry when he was the bank's most high-profile champion. Advocates for a national infrastructure bank, which would focus on developing large-scale infrastructure projects, had hoped Warner would step in to fill the gap left by Kerry and former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Kathryn takes it away for Pros: http://politico.pro/127LTv3
McDONNELL SAYS DEMS ‘LATE’: Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is working overtime to get his transportation plan through the state Legislature. It’s up for a vote in the relevant House committee today and in a Senate committee tomorrow. Appearing on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” segment, McDonnell struck a bipartisan tone — for a minute. “Republicans and Democrats want to address this problem. I’ve been very encouraged by willingness to fix the problem,” he said. But when pressed about a Democratic alternative, the governor essentially said “you snooze, you lose,” though clarified he hadn’t “looked in detail” at the plan. Democrats are “late to the party,” he said, adding that “it’s late to be coming up with alternatives.” And in an ironic twist, WTOP broke from the segment to give the latest traffic report — including three separate delays on Virginia roads.
BOEING FLAGS RAISED: All Nippon Airways officials tells The New York Times that the airline replaced 10 787 Boeing Dreamliner batteries in the time leading up to the two high-profile fires that led to the plane’s grounding. http://nyti.ms/TUyHaR
Looking under the hood: The NTSB continues to comb for clues to a battery fire aboard a Japan Airlines 787 Dreamliner. Yesterday the agency said their examination now turns “microscopic,” including a “chemical and elemental analysis” of areas that show signs of heat damage and short-circuiting. The next update is expected on Friday, if not sooner.
MAILBAG — Privatization: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin wrote LaHood urging caution over the potential privatization of Chicago’s Midway Airport, which cleared a major hurdle toward a possible lease to the private sector last week. Read it: http://bit.ly/VuiwkP
Discrimination: House Homeland Security ranking member Bennie Thompson said he’s been notified by the EEOC that it will look into allegations of discrimination throughout the TSA’s Transportation Threat Assessment and Credentialing Office after an IG report found a multitude of complaints. A TSA representative said in response to the Thompson comments that “TSA absolutely does not tolerate workplace discrimination. Easily accessible established processes remain in place for employees to address any concerns related to possible discrimination.” Read the letter from EEOC to Thompson: http://1.usa.gov/14taUjW
K Street opens up: Every group seemed to have something nice to say about LaHood, especially on safety; Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety head Jackie Gillan said he will simply be remembered as the “safety secretary.” GHSA chief Barbara Harsha said “never before had a DOT secretary been so dedicated to addressing driver behavior” as LaHood. AAR CEO Ed Hamburger also saw a significant safety angle, asserting that “under his leadership, railroads have never been safer.” So too have the country’s skies, but NATCA’s Paul Rinaldi also noted that LaHood “worked to restore fair collective bargaining rights for air traffic controllers.” Highways too have shown to be safer under LaHood’s leadership, and AASHTO head John Horsley said “on his watch highway fatalities have dropped by about 5,000 deaths per year” and LaHood’s “personal zeal” shined the spotlight on distracted driving. Greens also sent over good vibes and Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said LaHood was a “forceful” advocate for a modern transportation system that is less reliant on oil.
CABOOSE — LaHood’s tabletop speech: For many bike advocates, their favorite moment of LaHood’s tenure was his impromptu speech at the 2010 Bike Summit. He climbed up on a dais and spoke to the eager crowd about “livable communities” and how people “want to get out of their cars.” And of course LaHood mentions noted cyclist and bike-pin lover Rep. Earl Blumenauer within a minute. Caitlin Emma has a whole story about how he will be missed in bike community: http://politico.pro/WNZOkd. And the video quality isn’t the greatest, but his speech is definitely worth a watch: http://bit.ly/WvSfRi
THE AUTOBAHN (SPEED READ)
- N.Y.-N.J. commuter line PATH will run a full weekday schedule today for the first time since this hurricane. http://bit.ly/11bzO3b
- Mobility Lab adds neighborhood clusters to its awesome Capital Bikeshare visualization. http://bit.ly/127vJSD
- NARP takes issue with the CNN report on California HSR, including both Cato’s argument and the train track trespassing. http://bit.ly/11bjkwI
- A bipartisan coalition wants to raise Maryland’s maximum speed limit to 70 mph. WaPo: http://wapo.st/Vm1bFy
- How can Metro unplug the bottleneck at Rosslyn? GGW: http://bit.ly/126S96q