Sen. Mitch McConnell

Array of solar panels in the foreground with palm trees and mountains in background, Death Valley, California

California’s Energy Emergency: Fodder for Democrats and Republicans

What are the lessons to be learned from California's 10-day power grid emergency this month? Democrats and Republicans in Congress have their own takeaways, and both may be right.

September 19, 2022 - E&E News

Elaine Chao

Report Finds Conflicts of Interest in Elaine Chao's Time as Transportation Secretary

The U.S. Department of Justice in the final weeks of the Trump administration rejected an attempt to broaden the investigation into former Secretary Elaine Chao's potential ethics violations.

March 8, 2021 - The New York Times

Elaine Chao

Transportation Secretary's Resignation Announcement Greeted With Derision

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao became the first cabinet secretary to announce her resignation due to the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters, but at least one high-profile member of congress has derided the announcement.

January 11, 2021 - CBS News

Campaign Rally

Pandemic Containment Funding in Jeopardy

When President Trump asserted, "We do too much (coronavirus) testing," he wasn't kidding. He wants to strip $25 billion in funding for testing and tracing needed by states where COVID-19 cases are surging and testing is not meeting demand.

July 20, 2020 - The Washington Post

Elaine Chao

Kentucky Gets 25% of the Transportation Secretary's Time

When it comes to grants, one state has the attention of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao above all others.

October 10, 2019 - Politico

New Highways

Kentucky Planning a New Freeway Around Louisville, Raising Alarms

Local news sources are shedding light on planning for a new highway route that could pass through sensitive habitat of endangered that has yet to undertake a formal environmental or public input process.

July 11, 2019 - WFPL

Elaine Chao

Scrutiny for U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao's Entangled Interests

The results of two recent investigations allege questionable ethical practices by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, connected to the secretary's family shipping business and marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

June 11, 2019 - The New York Times

U.S. Capital

Senate Votes 0–57 to Rebuff Green New Deal

Not one Democratic senator, including sponsor Ed Markey (Mass.), voted on Tuesday to support the resolution "recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal." Instead, most, but not all, Democrats voted "present."

March 27, 2019 - The Washington Post

Scott Pruitt

Climate Change Skeptic Confirmed to Head U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt on Friday afternoon as administrator of the EPA, the same agency he sued 14 times in his capacity as Oklahoma Attorney General. He could not be more different than his predecessor, Gina McCarthy.

February 18, 2017 - The New York Times

Kansas City Bridge

The Other $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

President Trump is not the only one proposing a huge infrastructure plan—Senate Democrats have their own. The cost is the same, but financing is different. The Democrats' plan does just what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned against.

January 31, 2017 - The Hill

Trump Selects Elaine J. Chao, former Labor Secretary, as Transportation Secretary

Elaine Chao served all eight years as President George W. Bush's former Secretary of Labor and also under his father's administration as Deputy Secretary of Transportation. She is married to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

December 1, 2016 - The New York Times

President Obama Signs Three-Month Transportation Funding Bill

The Senate was hard at work on Thursday, passing not one but two transportation funding bills—first its controversial six-year (funded for three) transportation reauthorization bill, the DRIVE Act, and then, most importantly, the patch bill.

August 2, 2015 - The Hill

Democrats Object to 'Bipartisan' Senate Transportation Reauthorization Bill

We look at what happened in the Senate on Tuesday when the six-year DRIVE Act, relying on a variety of non-user fee revenue mechanisms to finance the Highway Trust Fund shortfall for three years, failed a procedural vote, and where it goes next.

July 23, 2015 - The Washington Post

House and Senate Republicans Differ on Must-Pass Transportation Funding Bills

The House passed their patch bill on July 15—it's now the Senate's turn at bat on highway funding. Both houses are controlled by Republicans but they appear to be pitching for different teams. A bill must pass by July 31 or road funding ceases.

July 20, 2015 - New York Times

It's Patch Bill Time Again for Highway Funding

Though federal highway funding is set to terminate on July 31, the House has proposed an $8.1 billion, five-month extension instead of a six-year reauthorization bill.

July 16, 2015 - Bloomberg Business

Senate Passes Keystone XL Authorization Bill: What's Next?

The new Republican-controlled Senate achieved its first major legislative victory on Thursday (Jan. 29) by passing S.1 to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Five more votes are needed to override a potential presidential veto.

January 31, 2015 - The Hill

So Much for an Easy Keystone Victory for Senate Republicans

With the turnover of leadership in the Senate to Republicans in January, the only Keystone question was whether advocates had enough votes to override a promised presidential veto. Turned out they were unable to overcome the first filibuster of 2015.

January 29, 2015 - Politico Pro

Congressional Impediments to 'Considering' an Increased Gas Tax

Look no further than House Speaker John Boehner. MSNBC contributor Steve Benen reports on a Jan. 8 Capitol Hill press conference where the Republican speaker from Ohio appeared to put the kibosh on even considering a federal gas tax increase.

January 12, 2015 - MSNBC/Maddow Blog

Will the Historic Climate Accord Survive the U.S. Political Process?

While environmentalists were hailing the historic carbon emissions reduction agreement between the leaders of the United States and China, the world's two largest emitters, Republican leaders wasted no time in slamming the accord.

November 13, 2014 - CBS News

Environmental Regulations a Top Priority for the New Republican Majority

Rolling back the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's tough climate regulations could be the first of many new energy and environmental goals for the GOP majority of the 114th Congress.

November 11, 2014 - The Hill

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.