A brief post, describing what’s already been well detailed by others:

1. Today in Florida, President Obama said the following:

“It’s imagining new transportation systems. I’d like to see high speed rail where it can be constructed. I would like for us to invest in mass transit because potentially that’s energy efficient. And I think people are a lot more open now to thinking regionally…

“The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody… recognizes that’s not a smart way to design communities. So we should be using this money to help spur this sort of innovative thinking when it comes to transportation.

“That will make a big difference.”

Three cheers for Mr. President! Now what will he do to encourage investment in high-speed rail and mass transit?

Read Streetsblog or T4A for more.

2. The Senate passed the stimulus bill, in a vote of 61-37.

Three Republicans agreed to the deal. Now on to the conference committee.

We’ll see what Congress can agree to in terms of transit and rail funding.

Read the transport politic’s comparison of the House and Senate bills (which now must be compromised), or the NYT‘s description.