advertisement

---

Today, the House Republican Conference confirmed Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 112th Congress. In the previous two congresses, Mica served as the committee’s Republican leader.

Among Mica’s top priorities: passing a new surface transportation bill that protects taxpayers and creates jobs, he said in a prepared statement.

Mica supports high-speed rail development in the United States, but has raised questions about how the high-speed stimulus dollars have been distributed, including in his home state of Florida, which is proposing to build a high-speed corridor connecting Orlando and Tampa. Offering high-speed rail service between the Orlando airport and area theme parks and tourist destinations makes sense, but extending the line to Tampa does not, Mica has said.

Instead, Mica favors implementing “true” high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor.