Retailers: Short-term Transportation Bill Isn’t Enough
“Transportation funding is a long-term problem that needs a long-term solution. Today’s vote is a necessary step to keep federal transportation programs in operation, but quick fixes are not the answer. “The supply chain is the lifeblood of any retailer. Congress needs to make good use of these next few months to come up with a long-term, sustainable funding measure that provides needed stability to the programs. Any long-term bill should recognize the importance of transportation to the U.S.
House Vote to Increase Port Security Funding
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives' approval to increase by 14 percent the funding for the Port Security Grant program in fiscal year 2007. By a vote of 389 to 9, the House version of the FY'07 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security would provide $200 million in Port Security Grant program funds, compared to $150 million recommended by the House for FY'06. While appreciative of House members for approving an increase in Port Security Grant funding for next year, Mr. Nagle said the annual funding need is still twice what the House voted to provide. He followed…
House Approves Bush's Alaskan Oil Drilling Plan
The Bush administration's plan to open an Alaskan wildlife refuge to oil drilling was approved by the House of Representatives early on Thursday, but it faces a tougher fight in the Senate, which wants U.S. energy policy to focus on conservation. The key issue in the debate over a broad national energy policy is the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), home to polar bears, caribou and 160 kinds of migratory birds. While green groups and many Democrats view the remote and pristine refuge as an American Serengetti, drilling proponents contend oil and gas could be safely extracted from a tiny area. Republican-led House passed, on a 240 to 189 vote, a comprehensive energy bill that included drilling in ANWR.
