Infrastructure in the News: April 29, 2015
NATIONAL NEWS
Wall Street Journal: What Travel Could Be Like in the Future
http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2015/04/28/what-travel-could-be-like-in-the-future/
ROSABETH MOSS KANTER: By the 2020s, traffic congestion could be a whole lot worse, and only the affluent will be able to afford to live, work and be entertained in central urban districts where it’s possible to get around on foot or on e-bikes. In developing countries, and increasingly in U.S. cities, cars will move at bicycle rickshaw speed, thereby continuing to provide an occupation for street vendors who can sell you nearly anything while you’re stuck in traffic, including that night’s dinner.
City Lab: The Only Chart You Need to Explain America's Broken Gas Tax
The Congressional Budget Office has released a status update on the Highway Trust Fund that pays for America's roads and part of its transit network. Prognosis? Negative. The gas tax that helps populate the fund has lost most of its purchasing power thanks to a combination of political stagnation (it's gone unchanged since 1993), increased fuel-efficiency, and soaring construction costs.
Wall Street Journal: Tech Expansion Overruns Cities in California’s Silicon Valley
http://www.wsj.com/articles/tech-expansion-overruns-cities-in-californias-silicon-valley-1430156870
Water isn’t California’s only scarce resource.
Room to grow is evaporating in Silicon Valley as technology giants’ appetites for expansion are running up against residents weary of clogged streets and cramped classrooms brought about by the boom of recent years.
National Journal: Conversation with the Chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
The immense transportation network crisscrossing the United States includes millions of miles of public roads, freight rail and thousands of civil airports. The task of policy making that covers all modes of transport, the waterways and infrastructure in the country falls on the shoulders of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Its work has a direct impact on job creation and the health of the American economy.
The Works: Is Uber Really Alt Transportation?
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/uber-alt-transportation-taxi-public-transit
Last week, Uber, the smart-phone-based transportation network company (TNC), got in on Earth Day with a variety of city-specific promotions such as offering discounts on its carpool service in New York and the ability to request hybrid or electric vehicles in Boston. In Seattle, Uber partnered with King County Metro buses, Pronto bike-share and transportation software startup Luum to host the Ditch Your Keys Challenge.
City Lab: How the Microtransit Movement Is Changing Urban Mobility
Much like the U.S. political system, American urban mobility has traditionally been dominated by two parties: private cars (or cabs), and public transportation. But lately residents of America's largest cities have no doubt noticed lots of new options that seem to fall somewhere in between. A recentStrong Towns post fittingly labeled this middle-tier movement "microtransit"—more micro than a fixed-route 40-foot bus or a metro rail system; more transit than, well, non-transit; here's Lisa Nisenson:
Reuters: McCarthy Says Short-Term Transportation Bill Likely in May
WASHINGTON — Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Tuesday he believes passage of short-term legislation next month to extend transportation funding through the end of 2015 was more likely than a multi-year funding bill.
Reuters: U.S. Auto Safety Regulator Poised for Action on Takata, Jeep Recalls
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/04/28/business/28reuters-autos-recalls-rosekind.html
WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration expects to be ready to take action within two weeks to accelerate product recalls to reduce the safety risks associated with gas tank fires in older Jeep sport utility vehicles and exploding Takata Corp airbags, the agency's top official said on Tuesday.
STATE NEWS
POLITICO Magazine: Mayors to Washington: Do Something!
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/mayor-survey-117391.html#.VUDYBiFVhBd
The cities’ CEOs are disgusted with Capitol Hill. Sure, we’ve known the American people have little regard for Congress, which has been experiencing record-low approval ratings. Yet fellow elected officials working in America’s cities also hold Washington in disfavor, and they had a clear message for their representatives on Capitol Hill: Gridlock has gone too far.
Pittsburgh Magazine: What Inspires Ray Gastil's Careful Plan for Pittsburgh's Future http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/May-2015/What-Inspires-Ray-Gastils-Careful-Plan-of-Pittsburghs-Future/#sthash.KBtq6494.dpuf
Don’t follow the planning director,” Ray Gastil warns, shouting over his shoulder, “because he’s a reckless bicyclist!”
AP: Chicago Transit Agency Blamed for Airport Train Derailment
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/04/28/us/ap-us-chicago-train-derailment-investigation.html
CHICAGO — Chicago's transit agency shares in the blame for an accident last year in which a driver fell asleep and crashed a commuter train into a platform and up an escalator at O'Hare airport, federal investigators concluded Tuesday. And they warned that, without changes, a similar accident could happen elsewhere.
AP: NY transit system to ban all political advertising
NEW YORK — The nation’s largest mass transit system is preparing to ban all political advertising on its subways and buses after a judge ruled that a pro-Israel group was allowed to display an advertisement containing the phrase “Hamas Killing Jews” on New York City buses.
Reno Gazette-Journal: How can downtown Reno be improved? 60 urban leaders tackle challenge
It's a question often asked about the Biggest Little City's core from its high-flying gaming days all the way to its post-recession period.
83 degrees: Walk or bike in downtown Tampa? New Greenway provides shade from Riverwalk to Ybor City
http://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/crosstown042815.aspx
While motorists zip daily between Brandon, downtown and South Tampa along the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, major new improvements underneath are carving out an inviting new route for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Washington Post: Who uses Capital Bikeshare?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/04/28/who-uses-capital-bikeshare/
A new survey suggests that an increasing number of Washington area residents are dumping their cars and Metro and hopping on bikes to get to and from work.
Washington Post: Silver Line is over budget and behind schedule
The second phase of the Silver Line Metro extension is 13 months behind schedule and might not open for passenger service until 2020, project officials said Monday.
The Hill: DC Metro extension to Dulles airport delayed until 2019
The extension of Washington, D.C. Metrorail subway system to Dulles International Airport has been delayed until late 2019.
CT Now: Metro-North's New Haven Line Breaks Ridership Record
http://www.ctnow.com/news/hc-metro-north-record-ridership-0428-20150427,0,6254603.story
NEW HAVEN — With a 1.6 percent gain over 2013, Metro-North's New Haven line carried more riders in 2014 than in any year of its history, the railroad reported Monday.
Slate: L.A. Existential
Earlier this month, Gov. Jerry Brown’s announcement of California’s first-ever mandatory restrictions on water use drew attention to the state’s uneasy relationship with its natural resources. “Mother Nature didn’t intend for 40 million people to live here,” University of Southern California historian Kevin Starr told the New York Times.
MPR News: Will skyrocketing cost kill Southwest light rail?
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/04/27/southwest-light-rail
The Southwest Corridor light rail project appears to be in serious trouble.
News Monday that the proposed project's estimated costs had swelled to $2 billionled critics and supporters to question if the proposed Minneapolis-to-Eden Prairie line was worth the money.
Slog: Guest Editorial: Don't Allow Seattle's Enthusiasm for Light Rail to Be Used as Leverage to Win Highway Expansions
Transit supporters from Seattle and the region have been working hard to get Sound Transit to the ballot by 2016, and with good reason. We desperately need better rail transit. Unfortunately, our zeal for rail is being used against us to produce a transportation package that does far more harm than good.
POLITICO MORNING TRANSPORTATION
By Jennifer Scholtes and Heather Caygle| 4/29/15 5:41 AM EST
With help from Kathryn A. Wolfe.
THUD COMING IN FOR LANDING: The House Appropriations THUD panel is set to mark up its fiscal 2016 spending bill today. And even though lawmakers have yet to vote on the legislation, it’s already mired in controversy. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the bill is “very disappointing,” particularly the funding levels, which are about $6.8 billion below the administration’s request for transportation programs. "We're not happy with the funding levels for sure," he told reporters Tuesday. "It's very disappointing overall because the country is sucking wind." The House bill would shave funding for Amtrak, WMATA and the TIGER grant program. More details: http://politico.pro/1zanWW8
Policy riders are no bueno: The DOT chief also took aim at several policy riders included in the bill that relate to the trucking industry and, separately, Cuba travel restrictions. "What's happening is that the appropriations process is now being used to create policy, and when it comes to safety, that's a real problem," Foxx said. The spending bill contains several provisions favorable to the trucking industry, including more truck weight or length exemptions for states. It also continues a prohibition on enforcing a controversial trucker "restart" provision pending the outcome of a study.
Throttling Cuba travel: Foxx and some travel groups also criticized the bill for its travel restriction provisions, which would prohibit new scheduled air service between the United States and Cuba and foil attempts to broaden cruise ship service (Kathryn has more: http://politico.pro/1DIYHa4). House THUD Subcommittee Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart defended the travel restrictions, saying that “Congress cannot sit idle” as the administration tries to “circumvent the tourism ban” and provide concessions to the “Castro dictatorship.”
Tune in: Grab the popcorn and a fresh copy of the bill text (http://1.usa.gov/1GtMwyA) for the 9:30 a.m. markup webcast: http://1.usa.gov/1QGbPpp.
HOUSE TAKES ON ‘GYROCOPTER’: Also this morning, members of the House Oversight Committee will hear from FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and other officials from NORAD, the Secret Service and Capitol police on keeping D.C. airspace safe. The hearing stems from a series of incidents this year affecting restricted airspace around the nation’s capital, including a Florida man landing his gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn earlier this month and a drone crashing onto the White House lawn in January.
Across the Capitol, Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson said the gyrocopter pilot, Doug Hughes, should just be counting his lucky stars he’s unharmed after pulling such a dangerous stunt. “Let me emphasize, Mr. Hughes is very lucky to be alive. He was extremely lucky to be alive and anybody else contemplating that kind of stunt in the future should also understand that Mr. Hughes is very lucky to be alive,” Johnson said Tuesday.
Check out witness testimony and watch the hearing live at 10 a.m.: http://1.usa.gov/1Kmd8VY.
ON THE RADAR: As if Wednesday weren’t wacky enough, there’s a couple of other Capitol Hill happenings to keep an eye on today. A Senate Banking subcommittee kicks off a hearing on private investment in public infrastructure at 9:30 a.m. And in the afternoon, the House T&I highways panel will hold a hearing on federal motor carrier safety programs.
HURRAY FOR HUMP DAY: Good morning and thanks for reading POLITICO’s Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on trains, planes, automobiles and ports.
We’re sorry to inform our Beltway insider audience that, although the private bus-to-work phenomenon has now hit the district, it appears to be much less posh and far more “cozy” than those sweet buses they’ve got out in the Bay Area. Check out the ad Bridj has posted on PopVille, showing off its Super Shuttle-esque commuter vans: http://bit.ly/1P4MphE.
Reach out: @jascholtes or jscholtes@politico.com.
“When I'm holding your wheel, all I hear is your gear. When my hand's on your grease gun, oh it's like a disease son.” http://bit.ly/Woq1vc
** A message from the Auto Care Association: The auto care industry is a coast-to-coast network of more than 500,000 independent manufacturers, distributors, parts stores and repair shops that keep every motorist moving. Our four million employees generate 2.3 percent of America’s gross domestic product. Our network delivers products at the speed that keeps America’s cars on the road. autocare.org **
TSA NOMINEE FACES POTENTIALLY TRICKY CONFIRMATION: Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle already seem quite fond of Coast Guard Vice Commandant Peter Neffenger, the president’s pick to head the TSA. But Senate confirmation could still be a difficult feat, even for a guy who’s in good with Congress — a legislative body filled with folks especially critical of the TSA since they spend so much of their lives schlepping through airport checkpoints. More from Pro: http://politico.pro/1FvICsN.
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND? If any readers have a crystal ball and can predict how the Highway Trust Fund showdown will end, please kindly shoot MT an email. In the meantime, here’s what we know: Members of the Senate Finance Committee met on the issue Tuesday afternoon but didn’t settle on a resolution. Some members are pushing a clean policy extension that would last until July, when current funding is set to reach critical levels, while other lawmakers want a longer extension, possibly until the end of the year. “I don’t have any problem with that,” Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch told Heather when asked about backing a clean policy extension. “We’re going to try to come up with an answer, it may be a two-step approach, but we’ll see.”
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx also threw his support behind a clean policy patch on Tuesday, saying if Congress has to do an extension, that idea makes the most sense because it doesn’t require any additional funding and would give lawmakers more time to find the dollars for a multiyear bill. "What I think happens if we go longer than that is they've got to find more money," he said. "If you're going to have to go struggle to find money, if you're going to have to look under mattresses and use duct tape and chewing gum, do it for a six-year bill. Why go through the brain damage for a few more months?"
Where does Shuster stand? House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster said Tuesday he’d like to see a longer extension that gives state DOTs certainty through the busy summer construction season, which lasts beyond September in some parts of the country. “I want to go several months. I think it’s very important to get us through the construction season,” Shuster said during a National Journal forum. “Just like doing a long-term bill, the patch is going to be driven by the amount of money that we find.” The T&I chairman said lawmakers would need to find about $10 billion to shore up the trust fund through December.
Mailbag: Senate Finance Democrats sent a letter to their Republican counterparts Tuesday telling them to get on the ball when it comes to transportation funding. Read it: http://1.usa.gov/1DIYVhw.
SHUSTER ADDRESSES LOBBYIST RELATIONSHIP: Shuster addressed his personal relationship with a top A4A lobbyist on Tuesday, saying he never thought of recusing himself from work on the FAA bill and has gone “above and beyond” what the rules require to avoid any conflict of interest. “I think people in this town know my integrity level,” Shuster said at the Newseum during a National Journal forum. “I’ve been very transparent, and one of the things is this is a personal and private relationship. But I think I’ve gone above and beyond what the rules require, what the law requires, to make sure that we’re doing things appropriately.” Read more: http://politico.pro/1OBa8uY.
AUTO INDUSTRY WHISTLEBLOWER BILL SAILS THROUGH SENATE: Swiftly and without fuss, the Senate passed a bill Tuesday night that would set up incentives for auto industry whistleblowers to come forward with safety concerns when defects are not reported, giving those safety reporters up to 30 percent of the penalties paid out for those violations. Senate Commerce leaders John Thune and Bill Nelson cheered the action, which sends the legislation over to the House. “While laws and regulations currently provide certain penalties for unaddressed safety failures,” Thune said in a written statement, “this legislation seeks to help identify and stop problems before anyone is killed or seriously injured.” The bill: http://1.usa.gov/1Jz40zM.
DOT CALLS FOR 100 PERCENT RECALL REPAIR RATE: After slapping down more recall fines in one year than in the previous four decades combined, DOT is calling on the auto industry to make sure more defective vehicles are fixed or pulled off the roads. “Being aggressive about safety doesn’t mean just being aggressive about compliance,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Tuesday. “Our goal will be to repair every vehicle that we know has safety defects. We have to fix 100 percent of them, and no other target is acceptable.” Foxx noted that in 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalled nearly 64 million vehicles and collected $126 million in fines — more than the agency had previously collected in its 40-year history. The rest from Pro: http://politico.pro/1OCfd6a
CHICAGO TRANSIT ACCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS OPERATOR FATIGUE: NTSB has weighed in on the Chicago Transit Authority accident last month, when a train rode over a bumping post and struck an escalator, injuring 33 passengers and causing more than $11 million in damage. The board said the accident was caused by operator fatigue and flaws in design of the station’s safety features. “The operator had worked 12 consecutive days,” the NTSB reported. “During the accident trip, she fell asleep before the train entered the O’Hare station.” The report: http://1.usa.gov/1DIZyHU.
OBAMA WANTS U.S. IN ON JAPANESE AUTO MARKET: President Barack Obama made clear this week that the U.S. is seeking more access to Japan’s auto market in bilateral negotiations taking place amid broader Trans-Pacific Partnership talks. “There are many Japanese cars in America, I want to see more American cars in Japan as well,” Obama said in a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was in Washington this week for an official visit. Pro’s Adam Behsudi has more: http://politico.pro/1GtQzLj.
THE AUTOBAHN (SPEED READ):
— By the 2020s, traffic congestion could be a whole lot worse, and only the affluent will be able to live, work in central urban districts. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1IiD05W
— Obama wants to see more U.S. cars in Japan. Pro: http://politico.pro/1GtQzLj
— Freight trains collide in New Mexico, killing crew member. The AP: http://bit.ly/1EkYHj3
— Car-safety chief: Decision near on reopening Jeep probe. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1DUoY4r
— Study suggests that flying is greener than driving. The Washington Post: http://wapo.st/1bbSbjZ
— JetBlue posts strong results on lower fuel prices. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1dqj4mb
— Port truck drivers strike for second day. The LA Times: http://lat.ms/1DJ1VKG
THE COUNTDOWN: Highway and transit policy expires in 32 days. DOT appropriations run out and the FAA reauthorization expires in 154 days. The 2016 presidential election is in 560 days.
THE DAY AHEAD:
All day — The American Traffic Safety Services Association wraps up its legislative briefing and Capitol Hill fly-in.
9 a.m. — Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the Obama administration’s fiscal 2016 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security. 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
9:30 a.m. — The House Appropriations THUD Subcommittee marks up its fiscal 2016 funding bill. 2358-A Rayburn House Office Building.
10 a.m. — The House Oversight Committee holds a hearing on securing D.C.’s airspace. 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
9:30 a.m. — The Senate Banking Committee holds a hearing on opportunities for private investment in public infrastructure, with testimony from city development officials, as well as an infrastructure firm leader. 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
2 p.m. — The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit holds a hearing on truck and bus safety programs. 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
9:30 a.m. — The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing on lessons learned from response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 253 Russell Senate Office Building.
** A message from the Auto Care Association: Got your keys? We’ll take care of the rest. The auto care industry is a coast-to-coast network of more than 500,000 independent manufacturers, distributors, parts stores and repair shops that keep every motorist moving. Our four million employees generate 2.3 percent of America’s gross domestic product. Our network delivers products at the speed that keeps America’s cars on the road. Our innovation constantly improves our record on safety, reliability, and value. And our independence gives customers the freedom to find the quality parts and service that work for them. We are the auto care industry — the professionals responsible for the safety, efficiency and mobility of all 254 million cars and trucks on the road today. We aren’t dedicated to one kind of vehicle — we are dedicated to every vehicle, including yours. Independence drives us, and we help drive America forward. autocare.org **
Stories from POLITICO Pro
Obama’s TSA nominee could face bumpy landing
Shuster: No thought of recusing himself from FAA bill over personal relationship
Obama’s TSA nominee could face bumpy landing back
By Jennifer Scholtes | 4/28/15 6:25 PM EDT
President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the TSA is a Coast Guard leader who’s already popular with Congress — but even he could find Senate confirmation to be a tricky feat.
Because lawmakers are some of the nation’s most frequent fliers, Coast Guard Vice Commandant Peter Neffenger will have to endure questioning from members who have ample grounds for criticizing an agency that has also drawn fire for flaps involving pocket knives, body-scanning machines and a recent groping scandal in Denver.
And lawmakers have had no qualms about exercising that role: Former TSA Administrator John Pistole, who retired in December, had been Obama’s third pick for the post, following two other nominees who ran into flak on the Hill. Pistole’s own confirmation was marked by hassling from senators about union issues.
The difficulty of finding a candidate who can get through the Republican-controlled Senate is one explanation for how long it has taken Obama to announce his pick for the job — a delay that Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) alluded to while welcoming the nomination Tuesday. Both Commerce and the Senate Homeland Security panel are charged with vetting TSA administrators.
“After months of bipartisan concern about the vacancy at TSA, the nomination of Admiral Neffenger to lead efforts securing our nation’s key transportation systems will receive prompt consideration,” Thune said in a statement. As far back as January, Thune joined other Republican and Democratic leaders on Commerce in complaining about the lag in replacing Pistole, saying that “this is a really critical, important position for our country when it comes to homeland security and everything else.”
Neffenger has one advantage: Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are generally fond of Coast Guard leaders, and the TSA’s first administrator — James Loy — had been commandant of the Coast Guard before taking that post. Thune said Neffenger’s “lengthy military service offers a strong indication of essential leadership skills and an understanding of the threats our nation faces.”
Still, Neffenger would be wise to commit to keeping Congress in the loop about policy changes, as demonstrated by the bipartisan backlash the TSA fielded after announcing in 2013 that it would allow air travelers to carry small pocket knives and sports equipment like hockey sticks. (It eventually reversed that decision.)
More recently, legislators have come down hard on the TSA amid reports of checkpoint screeners plotting to grope male passengers at Denver International Airport, concerns about the agency’s efforts to use “behavior detection” to pick out travelers for more intensive screening, and the case of Delta Air Lines employees accused of smuggling firearms on flights from Atlanta to New York. Legislators have also raised qualms about the agency’s policy of allowing some travelers to use expedited PreCheck screening even if they have not undergone background checks or paid to be in the program, as well as an audit last month that said TSA screeners had allowed a “notorious felon” to undergo the relaxed screening process.
Despite TSA’s numerous controversies, lawmakers have warmed to the agency’s leadership in recent years — praising its decision to transition to “risk-based” security initiatives, the creation of PreCheck and a trend toward a smaller workforce and shrinking budget
Before becoming Coast Guard vice commandant a year ago, Neffenger was deputy commandant for operations and served as the deputy national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. A lifelong Coastie, Neffenger was commissioned in 1982 through the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School.
He got a warm welcome Tuesday from the Airports Council International-North America, which said Neffenger’s “background in crisis management and port security will be valuable in continuing TSA’s leadership in aviation security.”
If confirmed, Neffenger will take over for Deputy Administrator Melvin Carraway, who has served as TSA’s acting administrator since January.
“The talent and expertise Vice Admiral Neffenger brings to his new role after more than three decades at the U.S. Coast Guard will be valuable to this Administration’s efforts to strengthen transportation security,” Obama said in a statement Tuesday. “He has been a recognized leader in the face of our nation’s important challenges, and I am grateful for his service.”
Matt Yurus contributed to this report.back
Shuster: No thought of recusing himself from FAA bill over personal relationship back
By Heather Caygle | 4/28/15 11:48 AM EDT
House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster said Tuesday morning that he never thought of recusing himself from his panel’s work on a massive aviation overhaul, despite his recently disclosed romantic relationship with a top airline industry lobbyist.
“I think people in this town know my integrity level,” Shuster said at the Newseum during a National Journal forum on transportation infrastructure, in response to a question from NJ reporter Fawn Johnson. “I’ve been very transparent, and one of the things is this is a personal and private relationship. But I think I’ve gone above and beyond what the rules require, what the law requires, to make sure that we’re doing things appropriately.”
Shuster, who has blamed the disclosure on the “liberal media,” left the event without taking further questions about the matter.
The Pennsylvania Republican's comments came two weeks after POLITICO reported that he has been dating Shelley Rubino, a top lobbyist for Airlines for America, since last summer without disclosing the relationship, even as his committee is in middle of negotiating a massive overhaul of the Federal Aviation Administration. As POLITICO later reported, he also pushed through an industry-favored bill on airline ticket prices last year that was a top priority for Rubino’s organization.
The organization, also known as A4A, spends millions of dollars trying to influence Shuster’s panel. Among other positions, it’s been advocating what it calls a “fundamental reform” of the FAA that could include spinning off the agency’s air traffic control functions into an independent nonprofit or some other entity.
Government watchdog groups have said Shuster’s relationship with Rubino is troubling — Craig Holman of Public Citizen called it a “huge, huge, tremendous conflict of interest” — and have expressed doubt that it’s enough for his office to have enacted a policy precluding his girlfriend from lobbying him or his staff. Some fellow lawmakers have also privately described the relationship as unseemly, especially since Rubino is free to lobby other members of the transportation committee.
Johnson broached the topic gingerly Tuesday, saying: “It’s not my practice generally to get into someone’s personal life, but you’ve been dating a lobbyist for the airline industry, a former Hill staffer, very well thought of. But the airline industry has a huge stake in the FAA bill. So can you tell us what that’s about and how you’re coping with that?”
“I’ve been very transparent,” Shuster responded, adding: “I know a lot of people that are lobbyists in this town but, again, I think we can do these things as professionals.”
When Johnson asked if he considered recusing himself from aviation matters, he said: “No.”
“I’m going to be at the table,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of stakeholders. I guarantee you everybody is going to walk away from this deal hopefully saying, ‘Well, it’s pretty good and it’s not perfect.’
“This is not going to be about one stakeholder,” Shuster said, noting that several aviation advocacy groups would have to get behind the FAA reauthorization for the bill to succeed.
The FAA bill is just one of several big issues on Shuster’s plate, along with the need to reauthorize federal highway and transit programs before they expire May 31.back
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Senate passes auto whistleblower bill
4/28/15 7:51 PM EDT
The Senate tonight easily passed a bill aimed at encouraging and rewarding auto industry whistleblowers who call attention to potentially deadly safety defects.
The bill, sponsored by Commerce Chairman John Thune and ranking member Bill Nelson, was approved by the Senate via unanimous consent, a fast-track measure reserved for non-controversial legislation.
"This bill provides important incentives for whistleblowers in the auto industry to bring safety concerns to the attention of federal regulators when harmful safety defects are not reported," Thune said in a statement. Whistleblowers would receive monetary compensation if their actions help lead to federal safety penalties over $1 million.
The Commerce Committee approved the bill in February following a record year for auto recalls in 2014 and mounting death tolls from faulty ignition switches and exploding airbags.
— Heather Caygle
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52588
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Port truck drivers go on strike
4/27/15 11:49 AM EDT
Hundreds of drivers serving the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports went on strike this morning, over their classification as independent contractors instead of employees. The drivers work for Pacific 9 Transportation, Cartage, Intermodal Bridge Transport and Harbor Rail Transport.
Barb Maynard, a Teamsters spokesperson, estimated about 500 truck drivers are on strike. The strike’s duration remains unknown.
The truck drivers also demand that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia take action against wage theft and misclassification, since the ports are part of the cities’ property. The mayors appoint the harbor commissioners and lease marine terminals to operators. The leasing agreements require anyone working on the ports to obey federal and local law, Maynard said.
Meanwhile, Green Fleet Systems entered into a comprehensive labor peace agreement with the Teamsters to guarantee respect for the drivers’ collective bargaining rights if they choose union representation. Green Fleet Systems drivers went on strike in August and November 2013 over unfair labor practices.
— Marianne LeVine
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52429
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Takata airbags linked to six deaths, more than 100 injuries
4/27/15 4:57 PM EDT
Defective Takata airbags have killed at least six people and injured more than 100 more, Senate Commerce ranking member Bill Nelson said this afternoon.
Nelson went to the Senate floor to provide an update on the Takata death and injury toll based on recent data the Japanese manufacturer provided to the committee. The Florida senator said the update provided by Takata goes through the end of January but noted that the numbers could be even higher, pointing to a recent news report linking a March car crash to the Takata defect.
When deployed, Takata's faulty airbags can send metal shrapnel flying at passengers at high speeds, particularly in humid parts of the country such as Florida. Investigators have yet to identify a cause for the deadly defect.
"We need to get to the root cause of the problem," Nelson said. "And we need to make sure we know why these defective airbag inflators are failing."
— Heather Caygle
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52462
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: DOT aims to follow record recall fines with record repair rate
4/28/15 10:33 AM EDT
After slapping down more recall fines in one year than in the previous four decades combined, DOT is calling on the auto industry to make sure more defective vehicles are fixed or pulled off the roads.
“Being aggressive about safety doesn’t mean just being aggressive about compliance,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told an auto-industry audience at a recall workshop. “Our goal will be to repair every vehicle that we know has safety defects. We have to fix 100 percent of them, and no other target is acceptable.”
Foxx noted that in 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalled nearly 64 million vehicles and collected $126 million in fines — more than the agency had previously collected in its 40-year history.
NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind called on auto makers, suppliers, dealers, rental car companies and safety advocates to get creative in thinking of ways to get all recalled vehicles fixed by improving communication, speeding availability of parts or otherwise changing the recall process.
“Getting to 100 percent is going to be a real challenge, but it has to be our ambition. And until the day we hit that mark, we have to think of new ways to get there,” he said. “We want this to be an open and constructive forum where all ideas are on the table.”
— Jennifer Scholtes
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52493
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Shuster: No thought of recusing himself from FAA bill over personal relationship
4/28/15 10:27 AM EDT
House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster said this morning that he never thought of recusing himself from his panel’s work on a massive aviation overhaul just because of his personal relationship with a top airline industry lobbyist.
“I think people in this town know my integrity level,” Shuster said at a National Journal event this morning. “I’ve been very transparent, and one of the things is this is a personal and private relationship. But I think I’ve gone above and beyond what the rules require, what the law requires, to make sure that we’re doing things appropriately.”
Shuster's comments came two weeks after POLITICO reported that he has been dating Shelley Rubino, a top lobbyist for Airlines for America, since last summer, even as his committee is in middle of negotiating a massive overhaul of the FAA. He also pushed through an industry-favored bill on airline ticket prices that was a top priority for Rubino’s organization, without disclosing the relationship.
“This is not going to be about one stakeholder,” Shuster said, noting that there are several aviation advocacy groups who have to get behind the FAA reauthorization for the bill to be successful.
— Heather Caygle
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52489
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: House releases THUD bill
4/28/15 10:11 AM EDT
The House has released the text of its fiscal 2016 bill funding the Departments of Transportation and Housing.
Appropriators plan to mark up the bill in subcommittee tomorrow. Read the draft here.
— Kathryn A. Wolfe
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52483
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Shuster: Short-term highway patch should be ‘several months’
4/28/15 10:04 AM EDT
A Highway Trust Fund extension should last several months, ideally beyond the end of the fiscal year, House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster said today.
Shuster said he’s still working with House leadership and members of the Ways and Means Committee to hammer out a deal, but he hopes any patch will at least last through the busy summer construction season, which goes beyond September in some states.
“I want to go several months. I think it’s very important to get us through the construction season,” Shuster said during a National Journal forum this morning. “Just like doing a long-term bill, the patch is going to be driven by the amount of money that we find.”
Shuster said lawmakers would need to find about $10 billion to shore up the trust fund through December.
The current policy authorization expires at the end of May, but the trust fund is expected to remain solvent into July. Senators have floated the idea of a clean policy extension that would run into the summer, bringing the authorization more in line with the funding need.
— Heather Caygle
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52482
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Trucking industry notches a win with House THUD bill
4/28/15 1:44 PM EDT
The House's fiscal 2016 bill funding the Transportation Department contains several provisions favorable to the trucking industry, including more truck weight or length exemptions for states.
The bill would add Kansas to other states with weight exemptions already enshrined in statute as "special rules" — those include Wyoming, Ohio, Alaska, Iowa, and Nebraska. It also includes language sought by Rep. Mike Simpson that would increase Idaho's weight allowance from 105,500 pounds to 129,000 pounds for certain trucks. Similar language was included in last year's bill, but it was dropped during omnibus negotiations with the Senate.
It also continues a prohibition on enforcing a controversial trucker "restart" provision pending the outcome of a study.
The American Trucking Associations said it was "pleased" with the bill, and said the provisions will "improve the safety and efficiency of our industry." But some Democrats on the committee were especially upset with the size exemptions, and one aide called the bill an "early Christmas gift" to the industry.
— Kathryn A. Wolfe
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52537
POLITICO Pro Whiteboard: House THUD bill would throttle new flights, cruises to Cuba
4/28/15 1:45 PM EDT
The fiscal 2016 House DOT funding bill would prohibit new scheduled air service between the United States and Cuba and foil attempts to broaden cruise ship service.
The flight provision, which as drafted would prohibit flights from the U.S. if they would "land on, or pass through, property confiscated by the Cuban government, including property in which a minority interest was confiscated," would apply to flights not already regularly scheduled prior to March 31.
The bill would also impact cruise ship service by prohibiting the Federal Maritime Commission (MARAD) from certifying or licensing any vessel that's docked within 7 miles of a port on property confiscated by the Cuban government within the last 180 days.
— Kathryn A. Wolfe
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52536
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: House THUD bill shaves Amtrak, TIGER
4/28/15 1:50 PM EDT
The House's fiscal 2016 funding bill is mostly a status quo bill, with a few accounts that will be notably trimmed, primarily Amtrak and the popular TIGER grant program.
Amtrak, which typically receives about $1.4 billion, would get just $1.13 billion in fiscal 2016, under the House's draft. WMATA would receive about half of what it usually does — $75 million, compared to the $150 million it typically gets.
And the DOT's oversubscribed TIGER grant program would receive $100 million, compared to the $400 million it got last year — and $1.2 billion less than the administration's budget request.
Other accounts fare better. The FAA would receive about $16 billion, roughly the same as last year. This includes $3.6 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, $155 million for the controversial Essential Air Service program, and $154 million specifically carved out of trust fund revenues for the contract tower program, which some lawmakers believe is under assault by the administration.
Highways would receive $40.3 billion in budgetary authority, roughly equal to last year. Transit formula grants would be set at $9.5 billion.
— Kathryn A. Wolfe
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=52541