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Congress sends student loan and transportation package to Obama
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/29/12483144-congress-sends-student-loan-and-transportation-package-to-obama?lite
Congress ended months of partisan bickering on Friday by passing and sending to President Barack Obama a comprehensive extension of highway and infrastructure projects, along with a one-year extension of low student loan rates that were set to double.
The House voted 373 to 52 to approve a $120 billion, 27-month bill to fund highway projects. Attached to that bill was the student loan extension, which prevented rates from doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1.
The Senate approved the package shortly thereafter in a 74-19 vote. The legislation now heads to the White House for the president's signature.
The package lumps together some of the biggest stumbling blocks to beguile lawmakers in the past few months. Squabbling over how to finance each priority had divided the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-run Senate.
Republicans had also insisted on including a measure to move the Keystone XL oil pipeline forward. President Obama and Democrats opposed it, though, and it was ultimately omitted from today’s bill.
Instead, Republicans were able to use funds set aside for "beautification, bike paths, and sidewalk lighting" for higher priority infrastructure projects such as the national highway system instead. They were also able to keep funding at current levels.
The package also cuts the average review and permitting process for new infrastructure projects in half, done mostly by streamlining environmental reviews so they can run concurrently, something for which Republicans had also fought.
Congress ended months of partisan bickering on Friday by passing and sending to President Barack Obama a comprehensive extension of highway and infrastructure projects, along with a one-year extension of low student loan rates that were set to double.
The House voted 373 to 52 to approve a $120 billion, 27-month bill to fund highway projects. Attached to that bill was the student loan extension, which prevented rates from doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1.
The Senate approved the package shortly thereafter in a 74-19 vote. The legislation now heads to the White House for the president's signature.
The package lumps together some of the biggest stumbling blocks to beguile lawmakers in the past few months. Squabbling over how to finance each priority had divided the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-run Senate.
Republicans had also insisted on including a measure to move the Keystone XL oil pipeline forward. President Obama and Democrats opposed it, though, and it was ultimately omitted from today’s bill.
Instead, Republicans were able to use funds set aside for "beautification, bike paths, and sidewalk lighting" for higher priority infrastructure projects such as the national highway system instead. They were also able to keep funding at current levels.
The package also cuts the average review and permitting process for new infrastructure projects in half, done mostly by streamlining environmental reviews so they can run concurrently, something for which Republicans had also fought.
I could not agree with you more. (Utah is doing some of what you folks did in Florida in regards to the interstates.... ) I have no clue how things like this get knotted up. In my humble little opinion, this is what causes all of the confusion and lack of urgency in so many of the more important issues.
I've said for years that education issues should only be education issues, transportation issues are transportation issues, military spending should only concern the military.... It creates a giant tangle when you co-mingle (co-mangle) these issues. This is precisely why and how things do not get accomplished.... un friggin believable.
I've said for years that education issues should only be education issues, transportation issues are transportation issues, military spending should only concern the military.... It creates a giant tangle when you co-mingle (co-mangle) these issues. This is precisely why and how things do not get accomplished.... un friggin believable.
Forgot to mention -- how do student loans relate to a transportation package? Both important issues, but totally unrelated; don't they each deserve their own attention?
Beautification? Why not leave that to nature?
We don't need palm trees and intricate landscape designs along side the interstates....... yes, they did that here in FL. Approximately 7 yrs ago, they started a project of ~ 20 miles along the Florida Turnpike, to widen the road, which, admittedly, was very much needed. Just this year, they, finally, opened all lanes to traffic. 7 years to widen 20 miles of road seems excessive.
They built high concrete walls to block the sound for the residents on either side, who knew there would be traffic noise from a busy roadway when they built their outrageously expensive homes (the roadway was there first)...... then they painted the concrete walls soothing colors with flying geese painted on them. Then they installed intricate landscaping, with groupings of palm trees, a variety of plants (not necessarily native)..
The actual road project was one thing, and was needed - the "beautification" was another... it's not beautiful; it's fake. Mother Nature does a much better job of landscaping and the only thing good I can say about this project and others like it, is that it kept some people working.
We don't need palm trees and intricate landscape designs along side the interstates....... yes, they did that here in FL. Approximately 7 yrs ago, they started a project of ~ 20 miles along the Florida Turnpike, to widen the road, which, admittedly, was very much needed. Just this year, they, finally, opened all lanes to traffic. 7 years to widen 20 miles of road seems excessive.
They built high concrete walls to block the sound for the residents on either side, who knew there would be traffic noise from a busy roadway when they built their outrageously expensive homes (the roadway was there first)...... then they painted the concrete walls soothing colors with flying geese painted on them. Then they installed intricate landscaping, with groupings of palm trees, a variety of plants (not necessarily native)..
The actual road project was one thing, and was needed - the "beautification" was another... it's not beautiful; it's fake. Mother Nature does a much better job of landscaping and the only thing good I can say about this project and others like it, is that it kept some people working.
Bike pathways is a big deal around here. Most of it is done with private funding. For the life of me, I can't figure out how we would spend money on pathways and not road ways.... is someone going to start delivering freight by bike? Dumb a$$es.....
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