Transportation

Senator Lieberman remains committed to maintaining and improving transportation infrastructure, both in Connecticut and around the United States in the 112th Congress. Senator Lieberman supports the adoption of a robust long-term transportation reauthorization to replace the expired Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), rather than a series of shorter term extensions that have left transportation planners in a state of uncertainty about future funding.

Senator Lieberman supported robust funding for transportation and infrastructure in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The bill provided more than $550 million in public transit and highway funding for Connecticut, including funding for Amtrak. Because it is crucial that these funds are spent wisely, Senator Lieberman has provided ongoing oversight of the ARRA’s implementation through his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, holding 5 hearings on the issue in the spring and summer of 2009. Senator Lieberman subsequently sent a letter to OMB Director Orszag, asking the Director to accelerate the speed of outlays, especially in the area of transportation, to put citizens to work before the end of the construction season in northern parts of the country.

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Highway and Transit

Transportation is 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. With the country facing its highest unemployment in decades, Senator Lieberman believes investments in infrastructure can provide fiscal stimulus that has great economic ‘bang for the buck’ – putting workers back on the job.

Senator Lieberman remains committed to securing additional funds for highway and transit projects throughout the state, especially those that provide transportation alternatives to help Connecticut residents deal with rising energy costs. Senator Lieberman has worked with three Governors and several colleagues in Congress to help secure $275 million in federal New Starts funding for the New Britain-Hartford Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. This 9.4-mile corridor, with 11 stations, will be an integral part of Connecticut’s intermodal transit network, effectively connecting the bus network with the expanded New Haven-Hartford-Springfield (NHHS) rail line. By encouraging the use of mass transit, as opposed to single passenger vehicles, the project will alleviate traffic congestion on Interstate 84 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the busway will also shorten local commutes by linking residential neighborhoods with major employment centers, and lay the framework for the transportation network of the future. According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, more than 16,000 riders will use at least part of the New Britain-Hartford BRT system each day.

Senator Lieberman has worked with several New England colleagues in sending a letter to the Secretary of Transportation requesting support and funding for the NHHS rail project. This important project will transform the Amtrak-owned NHHS rail line into a major passenger rail gateway, connecting communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, and will create an integrated passenger rail network across New England and the broader Northeast Corridor. In 2009, the State of Connecticut was awarded a federal grant of $40 million to help launch this project, and since then the project has received an additional grant of $120.9 million in 2010, and $30 million in 2011. The nearly $191 million in federal funds, when paired with the $286 million already approved by the state Bond Commission, will prove essential in constructing a high speed rail line that improves passenger travel and provides much-needed jobs in Connecticut.

Protecting Motorists

According to a study conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2006, graduated driver licensing laws (GDL) reduce the incidence of fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers by an average of 11 percent. When researchers compared states with different GDL requirements for the study, they found that more comprehensive programs produced above-average results. For example, those programs with five GDL provisions produced an 18-percent reduction, while those states with six or more noted a 21-percent reduction. More recently, the State of Connecticut revised its GDL law in order to better protect adolescent drivers.

To protect the safety of all Americans on our highways and byways, Senator Lieberman is again cosponsoring the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act (S. 528). This bill mandates a two-stage licensing program for novice drivers under the age of 21 years. If a state does not enact such laws, the legislation empowers the Secretary of Transportation to withhold a certain percentage of federal aid highway funds from its annual appropriation.

Amtrak / Rail

Supporting Connecticut Commuters

Senator Lieberman has continually supported making the Commuter Tax Benefit program permanent. He believes that the bias toward parking benefits has done little to encourage mass transit, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or limit traffic congestion. For this reason, he has supported two separate legislative efforts aimed at equalizing these three benefit categories at $230 per month as well and a number of measures temporarily ensuring parity.

Senator Lieberman is a cosponsor of the Commuter Benefits Equity Act (S. 1034), which would equalize parking and transit fringe benefits. The Senator also continues to advocate for short-term extensions until such legislation is passed.

Promoting the Development of Short-Line Rail Networks

Senator Lieberman is proud to cosponsor legislation (S. 672) to encourage railroads to modernize their short line rail networks. As we seek to develop more efficient means of shipping goods across the country, short line railroads will play an increasingly important role in our freight transportation system. Unfortunately, many short line tracks have deteriorated and must be renovated. Otherwise these tracks and the communities they serve will be unable to access the main line rail networks. S. 672 would create an incentive to invest in track rehabilitation by extending and enhancing the Short-line Railroad tax credit.

Building a Rail Network for the 21st Century

Looking forward, Senator Lieberman understands that the development of high speed intercity rail is critical toward developing a greener, more viable transportation system that will allow America to remain competitive in today’s modern economy. Senator Lieberman supports President Obama’s plan to distribute $13 billion over 5 years to begin constructing high-speed rail corridors throughout the U.S, and is particularly pleased that both the Northeast Corridor and Northern New England Corridor were designated as corridors eligible for funding. Recently, Senator Lieberman, along with his colleagues in Connecticut’s congressional delegation, wrote Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to urge the Administration to fund critical New England based rail projects through this initiative. Senator Lieberman continues to urge his colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to fully fund Amtrak, as an efficient Northeast Corridor is an integral component in Connecticut’s economy.

Aviation

Senator Lieberman is committed to supporting aviation related legislation that lowers prices, increases choices for consumers, modernizes air traffic control and safety standards, combats unreasonable general aviation fees, and addresses environmental concerns.

Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization

Senator Lieberman advocated for a long-term FAA Reauthorization rather than short-term extensions. The passage of P.L. 112-95 stands in contrast to past legislative efforts that authorized a series of short-term extensions, which did not provide certainty for the aviation industry. Signing this bill into law was advantageous because it now allows FAA, airports, and airlines to plan and budget several years in advance. The final conference report agreed to by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate authorizes $15.9 billion annually for the agency through 2015. In addition to this funding, P.L. 112-95 will expedite the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen); streamline FAA oversight; provide stable funding for the Airport Improvement Program; and improve airline consumer service through the codification of nearly all of President Obama’s “Passenger Bill of Rights” provisions.

One Level of Safety

The tragic crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo, NY served to expose several severe shortfalls in the safety of our nation’s commercial aviation system. Continuing to improve aviation safety so such an event does reoccur remains a priority for Senator Lieberman. In the previous congress, Senator Lieberman joined with several Senate colleagues urging that the final FAA Air Transportation and Safety Modernization Act (P.L. 111-226) include a 1,500-hour provision in their conference report for first officer training. They also sought additional training standard to first officers on both major air carriers and their regional partners.

On December 21, 2011, FAA issued a final ruling on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in which it made several changes to pilot operating procedures. This ruling sets a ten-hour minimum rest period prior to any flight duty period. It also limits the amount of consecutive flight time for each pilot to eight or nine hours, depending on the start time of the pilot’s entire flight duty period. Requirements are implemented based on the time of day pilots begin their first flight, the number of scheduled flight segments, and the number of time zones they cross. Lastly, the rule requires pilots to be given 30 consecutive hours off per week, a 25 percent increase over current rules.

Given the Senator’s support for more stringent regulations to protect our nation’s pilots and airline passengers, he was disappointed to learn of FAA’s decision not to include cargo pilots in their pilot fatigue ruling. The Senator strongly believes that there should be one level of safety for both commercial and cargo pilots and will continue to work towards achieving that goal. To achieve this, he has joined with Senator Snowe (R-ME) and Senator Boxer (D-CA) as a cosponsor of the Safe Skies Act of 2012 (S. 3263), legislation that would extend the rest requirements to all pilots and ensure one level of safety in the skies.