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On the Issues
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Transportation
For the latest developments on Senator Lieberman's work on transportation issues, click here.
Transportation remains a vital issue for Connecticut commuters and Senator Lieberman has made it a top priority to secure vital funding for projects that alleviate congestion and promote transportation alternatives. Senator Lieberman is an advocate for smart growth and increased use of public transit. Senator Lieberman remains committed to securing additional funds in 2008 for highway and transit projects throughout the state, especially those that provide transportation alternatives to help Connecticut residents deal with rising energy costs. For example, Senator Lieberman remains a strong supporter of intermodal facilitiesthat facilitate the use of different types of public transportation, and he continues to fight for funding for high-speed ferry terminals that provide alternative means of transportation to and from New York City and Long Island. He also supports the addition of more fuel cell buses, powered by Connecticut technology, to the transportation fleet in Hartford and other Connecticut cities. In 2005, because his senior status on the Environment & Public Works Committee, Senator Lieberman was named a conferee on the transportation reauthorization bill, The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) , which authorized federal surface transportation programs through the end of FY 2009. In anticipation of a new reauthorization bill in 2009, Senator Lieberman is monitoring discussions on the future of the nation's surface transportation system, paying particular attention to mass transit and transportation alternatives, the solvency of the highway transit fund, and the relationship between transportation and climate change, including how to regulate emissions to reduce climate change and how to design transportation systems in response to a changing environment. SAFETEA-LU was an enormous success for Connecticut. Not only did it increase Connecticut's share of funding for transportation projects by 19% for each over the five year life of the bill, compared to the average annual amount the state received under the previous authorization bill, it also provided Connecticut taxpayers with a $1.36 return on each dollar paid by its residents to the federal government in gas taxes each year. The total amount for the state was approximately $2.5 billion, and because of Senator Lieberman's role as a conferee he was able to secure an additional $50 million to address congestion mitigation, safety, and capacity improvements along I-95, which includes the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge. The tragic collapse of the Interstate 35 West Bridge in Minneapolis, MN has underscored many critical shortfalls in America's transportation infrastructure. Senator Lieberman recognizes the need to address these deficiencies and knows it will take comprehensive, sustained action at all levels of government to fix our nation's ailing roads and bridges. Consequently, he is proud to cosponsor the National infrastructure Improvement Act of 2007 (S. 775). This measure would establish a bipartisan, independent National Commission on the Infrastructure of the United States. The commission would conduct a comprehensive examination of U.S. infrastructure and develop recommendations for a federal infrastructure plan, identifying critical needs and priorities. The Senate passed this legislation in August 2007, and it is pending before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Always a strong supporter of Amtrak and firmly aware of the importance of the railroad to Connecticut 's commuters and travelers, Senator Lieberman has pledged to continue to fight for the railroad's survival. Senator Lieberman continues to advocate for Amtrak funding increases. The concurrent budget resolution, passed in June 2008, provides $1.8 billion in spending authority for Amtrak. This amount is double the President's 2008 request, and $455 million more than last year's funding level (adjusted for inflation). Senator Lieberman supports the Passenger Rail Investment Act of 2007 (S. 294), a bill that reauthorizes Amtrak for an additional six years and allows Congress to appropriate over $6 billion for the railroad over that time. Senator Lieberman is a co-sponsor of the bill, which was passed by the Senate in October 2007. The House passed their Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (H.R. 6003) in June 2008, and these two versions are expected to be reconciled later this year. Senator Lieberman also remains committed to fighting efforts by the administration to stack Amtrak's Board of Directors with those who are committed to forcing the railroad into making drastic reforms that would jeopardize the quality and scale of service along the northeast corridor.
Senator Lieberman remains committed to supporting aviation related legislation that lowers prices and increases choices for consumers. As Congress continues to debate reauthorization legislation for the FAA, Senator Lieberman will continue to pay particular attention to air traffic control modernization and safety efforts, unreasonable general aviation fee raises, commercial user fees, as well as potential environmental concerns. In November 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization raised the maximum age of pilots to age 65. Senator Lieberman proudly cosponsored the Freedom to Fly Act of 2007 (S.65), which proposes to raise the mandatory retirement age for U.S. commercial pilots from 60 to 65, consistent with this international ruling. Shortly after this bill was introduced, the FAA announced that it would undertake the rule changing process required to raise the retirement age for commercial pilots to 65. With the passage of the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act (H.R. 4343) in December 2007, this change is complete. Senator Lieberman is actively monitoring the FAA's proposal for redesigning the New York/ New Jersey/ Philadelphia metropolitan area airspace. Given the steady increase in flight delays and cancellations that have affected this region, this initiative has the ability to improve the efficienct and reliability of the New York Area airspace, which affects the many Connecticut residents and travelers who fly in and out of airports that use this airspace. However, since the revised flight paths have the potential to increase noice in communities in Connecticut and other states, Senator Lieberman approached the GAO to study the impact that this change will have on Fairfield County and other affected regions and determine if there will be substantial environmental or economic impacts due to the plan's implementation. The GAO is expected to release the results of its study later this summer. |
Federal Resources
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Senator Lieberman remains committed to maintaining and improving Connecticut 's transportation infrastructure in the 110th Congress. In 2005, Senator Lieberman served on the conference committee for the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act - A Legacy for Users in which he was able to secure hundreds of millions dollars for Connecticut's highways, roads, and transit facilities. In addition, Senator Lieberman fought for funding high-speed ferry services in and around Long Island Sound and for Amtrak, which continues to provide a vital service to Connecticut and all the states along the Northeast Corridor. 