Vice President Joseph Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week announced the Administration’s intent to request a significant increase in funding for its high speed rail initiative.

The House Budget Committee Chairman on Thursday announced spending caps that will govern debate on the continuing resolution that is currently funding all government programs until March 4. The budget caps will reduce spending government wide by about $32 billion from 2010 spending levels. Specific spending cuts have not yet been decided, however, every category of spending other than defense is forecast to be reduced.

The Senate has taken up the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill as its first major piece of legislation for the 112th Congress. FAA authorization expired on September 30, 2007 and the program has been operating under a series of 17 short term extensions ever since.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-Fla.) announced the locations for a series of national field hearings and public forums, the first step in drafting multi-year surface transportation reauthorization legislation.

While calling for a five year freeze in government spending in his State of the Union address, President Obama nevertheless also called for the need to invest in infrastructure.

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee began debate on reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU with a hearing Wednesday on “Transportation’s Role in Supporting Our Economy and Job Creation.”

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee John Mica (R-Fla) announced last week that, beginning in Mid-February, he plans to hold field hearings or "listening sessions" outside of Washington to get more input from local and regional officials on what to include in the next transportation legislation.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks to overhaul hours of service rules for truck drivers, but retains an exemption AGC successfully advocated for in 1995.

AGC has joined with the Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), academia and other industry groups in sponsoring the 2nd International Conference on Transportation Construction Management.

The House rules package adopted this week for the 112th Congress includes a provision that has the potential to dramatically alter the process Congress uses to provide funding for highway and transit programs.