"Congress is looking to strengthen the nation's transportation network by making it better able to withstand the effects of climate change, even as government agencies spend billions of dollars to fix roads after natural disasters.

A major transportation bill passed unanimously by a Senate committee last month is sprinkled with tweaks to existing law that would let states use federal highway funds to make roadways more resilient.

The bill, which would renew federal highway spending for five years, has been noted for proposing record funding levels and for aiming to cut transportation-related carbon emissions through measures such as additional charging stations for electric vehicles.

But overlooked has been the emphasis on resilience — a strategy that state officials and nonprofit groups have been advocating as flooding, storms and extreme heat cause more damage to roadways."

Thomas Frank reports for ClimateWire August 13, 2019. [2]