New Session of Congress Begins Amidst Lack of Certainty
January 3, 2020 – The Second Session of the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress began at noon today, but the agenda for the House and Senate, at least in the short term, is not clear.
Capitol Hill Events – Week of January 6, 2020
Thursday, January 9, 2020 – House Transportation and Infrastructure – Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment – subcommittee hearing on proposals for a Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (witness list to be posted here) – 10:00 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
Most Pending Transportation Nominations Sent Back to White House
January 3, 2020 – Nine transportation-related nominations that had been pending in the Senate were sent back to the White House today, where the President now has the choice whether or not to re-nominate them.
FTA to Sign Grant Agreement for Seattle Federal Way Light Rail Extension
January 3, 2020 – The Federal Transit Administration will sign a grant agreement later this month to provide $790 million in federal appropriations for a light rail extension south of Seattle.
Recent Transit Strikes Show the Pitfalls of Contracting Services for the Wrong Reasons
January 3, 2020 – Recent high-profile work stoppages point to the pitfalls of approaching contracting solely to save money. Eno research shows that contracting can deliver positive outcomes but only if done for objectives other than cutting costs. Recent action by maintenance workers and bus operators in suburban Washington, DC highlights this very concern.
Eno Project Seeks to Understand Transit Costs/Delivery
January 3, 2020 – In December 2019, Eno convened a high-level advisory panel to help us think through the dual questions of whether and why rail transit projects in the U.S. cost significantly more than similar projects in peer nations.
USDOT Publishes Proposed Rule on Remote ID for Drones
January 3, 2020 – After several delays, the U.S. Department of Transportation quietly published its proposed rule for UAS remote identification on December 26.
ACS Survey 5-Year Estimates: Commuting Trends Mostly Stable with Dips in Driving Alone
December 20, 2019 – New Census data reveals that between 2009-13 and 2014-18, 10 of the 15 largest metropolitan regions and 8 of the 15 core cities profiled experienced drops in the share of workers driving alone to work.
Congress Adjourns For Year After Passing $2.9T in Legislation
December 19, 2019 – The House of Representatives and Senate have left town for the year after passing two mammoth spending and tax bills with a total fiscal impact of $2.9 trillion. Both measures are expected to be signed into law by President Trump on Friday, December 19, averting any possible government shutdown and fully funding the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2020.
USMCA Trade Bill Addresses Trucking Competition
December 18, 2019 – This week, the House of Representatives passed the bill implementing the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), which includes a new provision allowing U.S. trucking interests to file complaints about Mexican competition.