Transportation News for March 30, 2015

  • by BPC Staff
  • on March 30, 2015
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POLITICO Morning Transportation for 3/30/2015

By HEATHER CAYGLE, with help from Kevin Robillard

GROW 2.0 COMING THIS MORNING: Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx this morning will roll out Grow America 2.0, the administration’s multi-year surface transportation proposal aimed at revamping the federal role in highway, transit and rail programs. DOT has prepped a kickoff video highlighting the secretary’s Grow America bus tour — complete with b-roll of a Joe Biden selfie shot — and has given MT an early look: http://bit.ly/1MlIv7U
The gist: The plan would significantly boost transportation funding, much like the original iteration of the Grow America Act unveiled last year, but this time DOT has a specific pay-for in mind. The multi-year, $478 billion bill would be partially paid for by revenue from a one-time tax on corporations’ profits held overseas, an idea first previewed when the White House rolled out its fiscal 2016 budget earlier this year. In addition to more funding for highway and transit, the bill would create a national freight program backed by $18 billion in funding, significantly boost federal dollars for grant and loan programs like TIFIA and TIGER, nearly triple the budget for NHTSA’s defects investigation office and boost the cap on private activity bonds. Fact sheet: http://1.usa.gov/1M3CN71

Other highlights:

-Safety: Grow 2.0 would provide federal officials the authority to prohibit rental car agencies and auto dealers from renting, selling or leasing cars with outstanding safety defects. The bill would also give NHTSA the authority to require automakers to immediately stop selling vehicles that pose imminent danger of injury or death.

-Highways and transit: Federal highway programs would receive $317 billion in funding over six years, about a $12 billion annual increase. Transit spending would increase by about 75 percent compared to current levels.

-The DOT plan would also boost local say over how transportation dollars are spent by giving more control to “high-performing” Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Those local groups would also be able to receive funding through a new DOT grant program called Fixing and Accelerating Surface Transportation.

Reality check: While the bill will be a good talking point for Foxx, it’s unlikely to receive serious consideration on the Hill if last year is any indication. When the original Grow America was rolled out, it was basically ignored by lawmakers, who just ended up doing a 10-month extension anyway.

DON’T FORGET: Foxx will be joining POLITICO’s Mike Allen and our Kathryn Wolfe for a lunchtime chat today at the Newseum. The DOT chief is sure to talk about Grow 2.0, the impending funding crisis and his upcoming road trip. Got a question for the secretary? Tweet it using #PlaybookLunch. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

Also today: The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association kicks off its two-day conference — at the Washington Marriott in Georgetown — on policy issues affecting toll agencies, concessionaires and state departments of transportation. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s deputy staff director will speak on a panel at 11 a.m. about transportation reauthorization efforts in Congress, alongside a legislative assistant for Sen. Tom Carper and a senior staffer on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. During lunch, Federal Highway Administration deputy Gregory Nadeau will take the stage.

MONDAY MORNING. IT WAS ALL I HOPED IT WOULD BE: Good morning and thanks for reading POLITICO’s Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on trains, planes, automobiles and ports.

Without lawmakers to chase for the next two weeks, we’ll be spending our days trolling TSA’s Instagram for photos of checkpoint contraband, like this spiked kubaton and mustachioed pepper spray: http://bit.ly/1GxhlpW. So save us from ourselves. Emails and Twitter banter encouraged: jscholtes@politico.com or @jascholtes. Reach out to Heather: hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope.

“Straight from the airport, cut through the customs line.” http://bit.ly/1CmUsFD

TRAVEL COMMUNITY BIDS REID BON VOYAGE: Quick to follow with a praiseful farewell, the U.S. Travel Association thanked retiring Sen. Harry Reid for being “a stalwart ally” to the travel industry during his 32 years in Congress. The group commended the Senate minority leader for creating and renewing the Brand USA travel promotion partnership, budgeting enough money for Customs and Border Protection, and for his efforts to expand the Visa Waiver program. “As a visionary leader for both Nevada and the entire country, Sen. Reid could always be counted on to listen to policy recommendations that made good plain sense and do everything he could do to help shepherd them through the Senate,” Roger Dow, the group’s president and CEO, said in a written statement.

Succeeded by an auto advocate?: The Detroit News notes that Reid “was a key supporter of the $85 billion auto bailout but sparred with automakers over high fuel efficiency standards” and that “the Nevada Democrat is likely to be succeeded by someone with close ties to the auto industry: Sen. [Chuck] Schumer (D-N.Y.), who represents auto facilities and has worked with automakers and the United Auto Workers union”: http://bit.ly/1ykuyeI. Schumer officially declared Friday that he would run to be Democratic leader, and a source close to the New York Democrat said he has already locked up enough support within the caucus to secure the top job. More from Manu Raju and Burgess Everett: http://politi.co/1NlLgBl

TRUCK INDUSTRY BATS BACK AT DEMOCRATS: Truck industry advocates are countering the arguments of House and Senate Democrats who have questioned a forthcoming DOT study on commercial trucks’ impact on the nation’s roads: http://politico.pro/1Ch2rB5. “Despite voluminous existing research, trucking opponents proposed this study in 2012 so they could delay reform, but unfortunately for them, the facts haven’t changed,” John Runyan, the Coalition for Transportation Productivity’s executive director, said in a written statement. “What we’re seeing is proof that truck weight reform opponents are simply afraid of the facts.” A group of lawmakers sent a letter (http://politico.pro/19nS9F1) to DOT about the study last week, saying it is “troubling that DOT could release a study that recommends bigger, heavier trucks that will lead to more potholes and even greater problems.”

BUDGETS ARE BAD NEWS FOR TRANSPO SPENDING: The House and Senate budgets are both bad news for federal highway and transit spending, according to an analysis from the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The House budget would cut transportation spending by 28 percent over a decade while the Senate budget cuts just a little less –22 percent — over 10 years. “Virtually all of these cuts appear to come from highway and mass transit programs financed through the Highway Trust Fund,” CBPP’s David Reich writes. “The House and Senate Budget Committees cite trust fund shortfalls as the reason for the cuts, but these shortfalls are neither new nor unexpected.” Reich says the dramatic cuts are actually the opposite of what Congress should be doing, arguing that now is a critical time for lawmakers to invest more in the Highway Trust Fund. Read more: http://bit.ly/1HXoeil

IF YOU WHISTLE AND STARE, YOU MIGHT BE A TERRORIST: TSA screeners are apparently on the lookout for stinky, pale-faced travelers whose Adam’s apples “jump” when they are asked to go through security screening. Our Nick Gass ticks down the list of odd characteristics the agency is telling its agents to watch for to pinpoint would-be terrorists trying to make their way onto U.S. airplanes: http://politi.co/194ESRT The Intercept released the TSA checklist used to determine whether travelers should be pulled aside for additional screening: http://bit.ly/1MbUKUw

GERMANWINGS CRASH PROBE CONTINUES: Aviation experts are still sifting through the remains of the Germanwings jetliner that crashed in the French Alps last week, while investigators search for psychological clues that could explain why the copilot may have taken down the plane: http://nyti.ms/1bHVrEK. The Wall Street Journal reports that the unusual circumstances won’t necessarily free the Germanwings parent company, Deutsche Lufthansa, and its insurers from claims of negligence: http://on.wsj.com/19ykgRV. Following the lead of several other countries in the wake of the crash, Australia issued a mandate today that at least two crew members be in the cockpit on planes with at least two flight attendants or more than 50 passengers.

THE AUTOBAHN (SPEED READ):

-Police ramp up rail-crossing citations after recent crashes. AP: http://abcn.ws/1NvBjDx

-Just can’t quit: Why some people hate Uber but won’t give up the app. Mashable: http://on.mash.to/1I01PRw

-California regulators have hands full with Tesla’s plan for hands-free driving. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1F20qd4

-Facebook successfully completes solar-powered drone flight in the U.K. The Telegraph: http://bit.ly/1F27l5V

-Thailand faces bans on new international flights and increased inspections following concerns about the country’s aviation safety. AP: http://bit.ly/1BV0whP

-Ford and Mercedes-Benz set up shop in Silicon Valley. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1HW7k7s

-Los Angeles light rail crash on Saturday renews debate on rail safety. LA Times: http://lat.ms/19ymOPK

THE COUNTDOWN: Highway and transit policy expires in 62 days. DOT appropriations run out and the FAA reauthorization expires in 184 days. The 2016 presidential election is in 590 days.

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