Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about U.S. Senate

Senate Requires Environmental Approval For Stimulus Projects

By Damien Newton | Feb 9, 2009 | 7 Comments

NEPA oversight should prevent the Garden State Parkway from being widened using stimulus funds. The final draft of the Senate’s economic recovery bill will require all projects funded by the stimulus to have approval under the National Environmental Protection Act, or NEPA. Sponsored by Barbara Boxer, the NEPA amendment (full text after the jump) was […]

Update on Stimulus Action in the Senate — Keep Up the Pressure

By Ben Fried | Feb 4, 2009 | 3 Comments

The latest word from DC is that Kit Bond’s pro-highway/anti-rail amendments have yet to come to the floor, while the Inhofe/Boxer amendment to create a $50 billion highway slush fund is still being finalized by its authors. The phone calls and emails are having an effect — Boxer felt enough pressure to adjust her amendment, […]

Urgent Action: Oppose Highway Robbery in Senate Stim Bill

By Ben Fried | Feb 4, 2009 | 6 Comments

Stimulus debate continues today in the Senate, where the stale ideas keep on coming. In addition to the $50 billion highway slush fund floated by Senators Boxer and Inhofe (no vote on that one yet), Missouri’s Kit Bond plans to offer two amendments that would rob from transit, rail, and green transportation to pay for […]

Republican Minority Blocks Murray Amendment

By Ben Fried | Feb 3, 2009 | No Comments

We just got word that the Murray/Feinstein amendment, which would have increased funding for both highways and transit in the Senate stimulus package, received support from 58 Senators, falling short of the 60 votes necessary to be considered. Does that clear the way for Chuck Schumer’s transit amendment? Not exactly. The vote calls into question […]