Tulsa World
by: Associated Press
Thursday, October 20, 2011
WASHINGTON — The Senate defeated a bid by Sen. John McCain on Wednesday to stop funneling federal funds to transportation museums, highway beautification and preservation of historic bridges, rejecting his argument that money needed to repair rundown roads was being diverted to projects like squirrel sanctuaries and car museums.
Senators turned aside the Arizona Republican’s measure 59-39 after opponents said it would block Amtrak’s use of many historic rail stations and the preservation of icons like New York’s Brooklyn Bridge and New England’s covered bridges.
McCain’s provision was aimed at the transportation enhancement program, which last year sent the states over $900 million. His proposal would have allowed states to continue using money from the program for bike and pedestrian paths, building tunnels under roads and other structures to separate traffic from wildlife, and acquiring historic sites... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Thu, October 20, 2011
by John Cox