The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 8 approved legislation that would greenlight the Keystone XL oil pipeline, setting up a contentious debate on the floor of the Senate next week on a measure backed by Republican leaders and opposed by the White House.

As expected, the U.S. Senate on Jan. 8 ratified Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as the next chairman of the Commerce, Science and Technology Committee during the 114th Congress.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, who as the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, has been integral in advancing the most recent highway bills in Congress, announced she will not seek another term in office in 2016.

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Jan. 8 he does not think there is sufficient support in his chamber to approve an increase to the federal fuel tax.

The next chairman of a key Senate transportation panel said federal lawmakers should “look at all the options” to keep infrastructure projects funded in the coming years.

The federal Department of Transportation is sending California $2 million to assist communities in repairing  roads damaged by recent floods.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration updated its website on Dec. 17 to reflect the recent suspension of parts of its hours of service rule, a change that took effect when President Obama signed a $1 trillion bill into law Dec. 16.