Stories tagged with “Ray LaHood”
NEWS FLASH
Rail Industry Plans To Hire 5,000 Veterans In 2012 |
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced yesterday that the nation’s rail sector, for the second year in a row, will hire more than 5,000 veterans. The railroad association and the Department of Veterans Affairs are working with 500 railroad companies committed to offering jobs to veterans. “The railway industry clearly recognizes that hiring veterans is good for their companies, bottom line, and we are appreciative of their efforts to serve veterans as well as they have served the country,” Brad Cooper, executive director of Joining Forces, a White House initiative to provide opportunities and support to service members and their families, told CNN. Earlier this month, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $29 million in grants to improve access to local transportation jobs for veterans.
NEWS FLASH
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Denied Vote In Illinois |
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was blocked from casting a vote in Illinois last week. According to Politico, LaHood was trying to vote early in Peoria County for his son, Darin, who was running as a delegate for Newt Gingrich, but was given an electronic ballot for the incorrect district. When LaHood protested the ballot, an election official told him it had been spoiled and he could not receive a replacement. LaHood, who was a Republican member of Congress before joining President Obama’s cabinet, indicated he supports Obama in the general election, but that he wanted to support his son in the primary.
-Zachary Bernstein
NEWS FLASH
Transportation Secretary LaHood: FAA Shutdown Would Result In ‘Immediate Furlough’ Of 4,000 Workers |
The shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration that will occur Friday night if Congress does not reach a deal to extend its authorization would result in the “immediate furlough” of 4,000 workers, bring a halt to $2.5 billion in airport construction projects, and cost the government about $200 million a week in lost airline ticket taxes, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on a conference call Thursday. Previously, FAA reauthorization has sailed through Congress 20 times, but Republicans have ground the process to a halt with the inclusion of an anti-union measure this year. LaHood called on Congress to pass a clean re-authorization bill — preferably to cover the next five to six years, he said — before the FAA shuts down at close of business tomorrow. “This is just not the right way to run America’s aviation system,” LaHood said.
Yglesias
By Matthew Yglesias on Jan 23, 2009 at 9:06 am
Transportation reformers weren’t totally thrilled with the idea of Rep. Ray LaHood becoming Secretary of Transportation but LaHood’s remarks at his hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee were really pretty impressive. More here.
I’m hoping the stimulus bill can be re-written in a more transit-friendly manner but the real action will be in permanent legislative changes—the reauthorization of the overarching transportation bill and action on Obama’s proposal for a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank.
Yglesias
By Matthew Yglesias on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:40 pm
The Hill is almost reporting that Barack Obama will appoint Representative Ray LaHood of Illinois as Transportation Secretary.
In principle, I think this is a great slot for a bipartisan pick. In practice, Democrats tend to be better on transportation issues than Republicans, but there isn’t actually a ton of ideological linkage between these issues and the broad disagreements between the parties. You could think abortion is murder, and also that investment in high-speed rail would be a good idea. Or you could favor tax cuts and congestion pricing on roads. And of course lots of Democrats have terrible views on transportation issues.
As for LaHood, he’s no Paul Weyrich, but he did break with the GOP to support the Passenger Rail Investment Act and the Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act so that seems promising.
