Yet another FAA authorization extension
September 23rd, 2009 | Agencies Congress Transportation | Posted by Rebecca Neal
The House passed a temporary Federal Aviation Administration authorization extension Wednesday, giving the Senate until the end of the year to pass the full reauthorization bill.
The temporary extension won’t be a surprise to the FAA, which has been operating under them since its authorization expired during the last Congress.
The sixth temporary extension expires Sept. 30. The new extension goes until Dec. 31 and allows the FAA to continue to collect and spend revenues.
The House passed a multiyear reauthorization bill, HR 915, in May, but the bill has stalled in the Senate, just as it did in the last Congress.
The Senate bill is tied up in the Senate Finance Committee, which deals with the revenue portions of the bill. That committee has been consumed with health care for much of this congressional session, so a timetable for progressing on the FAA reauthorization is unclear.
DOT funds small business recovery with recovery funds
August 31st, 2009 | Economic Stimulus Procurement Transportation Uncategorized | Posted by Elise Castelli
I recently reported that the Small Business Administration and the Commerce Department were planning to participate in more than 200 events boost small businesses contracting under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
But it looks like those agencies aren’t the only ones working to ensure small businesses benefit from stimulus spending. The Transportation Department announced today that it has dedicated $20 million in Recovery Act funds to create a “Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Bonding Assistance Program.”
The program, which is run by the department’s Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization, allows small and disadvantaged businesses to apply for reimbursements for the bonding premiums and fees they pay when competing for transportation infrastructure projects, according to a department news release.
The program will help small and disadvantaged businesses better compete for Recovery Act-funded transportation projects by helping them get access to the money they need to participate in government contracting.
“These Recovery dollars will help level the playing field so these companies have the tools and resources they need to compete,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the news release.
The announcements come just as SBA reported that agencies missed their 23 percent small business spending goal for the third year running. Last year, agencies spent approximately $94 billion, or 21.5 percent, of their contracting dollars through small businesses. The Obama administration said it hoped to reach those goals through improved education and outreach to small businesses and federal agencies.
For those readers who want to know when and where SBA and Commerce are holding or participating in events, I’m told SBA is compiling the list and will post it on the SBA Web site soon.
Tags: SBA, small business
Leading the (green) way
June 17th, 2009 | Agriculture Defense Energy Environmental Protection Agency General Services Administration HHS Postal Service Transportation Treasury | Posted by Tim Kauffman
Federal agencies having a tough time meeting the plethora of green government mandates should take a close look at the 15 federal teams who have been recognized this year for spearheading environmentally sustainable practices at their agencies.
Winners of the 2009 White House Closing the Circle Awards — handed out Wednesday during the middle of the three-day 2009 Federal Environmental Symposium East in Bethesda, Md. –Â Â are demonstrating best practices in areas such as recycling, green purchasing and fuel conservation.
The big winner was the Air Force, which received four awards for initiatives under way at local bases and headquarters. The Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office in Denver was the biggest individual winner, taking home two awards.
A complete list of the winners — along with some of their accomplishments — is after the jump.
Tags: environment, green government
Employee info compromised in FAA computer breach
February 10th, 2009 | Information Technology Transportation | Posted by Elise Castelli
The Federal Aviation Administration notified 45,000 employees and retirees yesterday that files containing their personal data were hacked and their information was electronically stolen.
The hacker breached 48 FAA files, two of which contained the personal information. Only employees on the payroll as of the first week of February 2006 are affected. Those individuals will be notified by letter and law enforcement has been notified, FAA said.
In a statement FAA said:
The FAA is moving quickly to prevent any similar incidents and has identified immediate steps as well as longer-term measures to further protect personal information. The agency is also providing a toll-free number and information on the employee website for those who believe they may be affected by the breach.
Air traffic control systems and other FAA operational systems were not compromised in the breach, according to the agency.
Tags: cybersecurity, data breach, FAA
Senate approves five Obama officials
January 23rd, 2009 | Environmental Protection Agency Executive Office of the President HUD Transition Transportation | Posted by Elise Castelli
Barack Obama’s Cabinet is filling up. Last night the Senate confirmed:
- Shaun Donovan to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
- Ray LaHood to be Secretary of Transportation.
In other confirmation news:
- Susan Rice, Obama’s choice for U.N. ambassador, was approved.
- Nancy Sutley was confirmed as chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
- And finally, Lisa Jackson was given the green light to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, after Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., lifted his objection to a vote by unanimous consent.
Tags: confirmations, Lisa Jackson, Nancy Sutley, Ray LaHood, Senate, Shaun Donovan, Susan Rice
Polar Express Lanes
December 18th, 2008 | Transportation | Posted by Elise Castelli
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters signs off on special Santa Skylanes.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters signed what is perhaps the most important order of the year today: the one that allows Santa to fly his sleigh in military air space on Christmas Eve.
Dubbed “Santa Skylanes,†the expanded air space will help Santa — and commercial air traffic — navigate the nation’s busy airspace.
Here is what Peters had to say about this important order:
We know Santa Claus must adhere to a really tight schedule to get to every house on his list. Allowing him to use military airspace will ensure that crowded skies won’t mean empty stockings on Christmas morning. It just wouldn’t do to have the gridlock Grinch stealing Christmas.
These lanes were also opened to commercial air traffic, though not Santa, at Thanksgiving. Over that weekend the additional space was used by 2,400 flights.
Tags: Chrismas, Holiday Travel, Mary Peters
Fewer miles, fewer dollars
December 15th, 2008 | Transportation | Posted by Gregg Carlstrom
An interesting bit of information from the Transportation Department: Americans drove 100 billion fewer miles in 2008 than in 2007. That’s the biggest decline in American history. (The news may come as a surprise to Washington-area residents — traffic hasn’t gotten any better around here!)
It’s good news for the environment, but bad for the department, which depends largely on revenue from gas taxes to pay for highways and bridges. The Highway Trust Fund collected $3 billion less in 2008 than it did in 2007.
And it underscores a key problem facing our transportation policy. Washington wants more fuel-efficient vehicles, and that’s a laudable goal for many reasons. But how do we continue funding our transportation infrastructure when that funding depends on gasoline taxes?