Mica to revisit Obama transport priorities

Calls for private investment

David Crossley, Nov 15, 10.

Republicans will scrutinize popular Obama administration transportation infrastructure initiatives when they assume control of the US House of Representatives, possibly pulling back some funds dedicated to specific road and rail projects, according to a report from Reuters:

John Mica, who is expected to chair the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told Reuters in a post-election interview that he would conduct a close review of how money was spent from the 2009 economic stimulus package approved by the Democratic-controlled Congress. He also plans to reevaluate grant programs that bypassed congressional review.

The new look at spending comes after voters last week questioned Obama infrastructure priorities in electing Republican governors who campaigned against what they considered unworkable transportation spending.

To start, Mica will focus on more than $10 billion in high-speed rail awards and a $1.5 billion transportation construction financing under the so-called TIGER grant program in which funds were sent directly to states on the merit of proposed projects.

“We had unelected officials sitting behind closed doors making decisions without any hearings or without any elected officials being consulted. There was no rational explanation,” Mica said. “I’m going to have a full review of that.”

TIGER grants have been oversubscribed and state capitals want them extended, but there is no commitment from Congress to do that.

Some of the money could come back to the federal government, according to Mica, who also said that he would look at how to expedite funding in other cases.