The nation in brief

The nation in brief

President Barack Obama speaks in front of the Interstate 495 bridge over the Christina River near Wilmington, Del., Thursday, July 17, 2014, to announce an initiative to increase private sector investment in the nation's infrastructure. The bridge was closed for emergency repairs last month after the discovery of four tilting support columns, and the federal government is helping pay for repairs. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
President Barack Obama speaks in front of the Interstate 495 bridge over the Christina River near Wilmington, Del., Thursday, July 17, 2014, to announce an initiative to increase private sector investment in the nation's infrastructure. The bridge was closed for emergency repairs last month after the discovery of four tilting support columns, and the federal government is helping pay for repairs. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Obama touts program on infrastructure

WILMINGTON, Del. -- President Barack Obama announced a new program Thursday to attract more private money to help pay to build new roads and bridges as he criticized Congress for refusing to approve a more lasting source of funding.

The new program is designed to encourage collaboration between state and local governments and private-sector investors, expand the market for public-private partnerships and make greater use of federal credit programs.

Obama argued that the U.S. is losing its competitive edge to other countries that spend more freely on infrastructure upgrades.

Obama's trip is part of a broader effort to press Congress to keep money flowing into the Highway Trust Fund, the source of federal aid to states for surface transportation projects. The fund is expected to begin running out of money next month unless lawmakers act.

The House passed a temporary transportation funding bill this week to keep aid flowing through next May. A similar bill is pending in the Senate, though the chamber's Democratic leaders are expected to vote next week on the House-passed measure. Obama supports the temporary patch but pressed for more stable funding.

Deal averts looming N.Y. railroad strike

A planned strike on New York's Long Island Rail Road was averted Thursday, state officials and union leaders said, three days before workers were expected to walk off the job.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said he had begun participating directly in the talks Wednesday evening, called the deal "a compromise by both parties" after a four-year dispute.

The contract calls for 17 percent raises over 61/2 years, though the complete terms of the agreement were not immediately clear.

A recent offer from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority called for 17 percent raises spread over seven years, with concessions from workers -- particularly new hires -- on health care contributions and other issues. The unions had asked for 17 percent raises over six years, among other concerns.

For much of the week, labor leaders suggested a strike was all but certain on the railroad, which accounts for about 300,000 rider trips on weekdays. Workers were expected to walk off the job as early as Sunday.

Senate OKs terror bill backing insurers

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Thursday to extend a program that helped stabilize jittery insurance markets in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The program is designed to cushion the financial blow to insurance companies in the event of another large attack. It is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

The Senate voted 93-4 to extend the program through 2021. Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican Sen. John Boozman, both of Arkansas, voted with the majority.

Under the program, the federal government helps pay damages for attacks that cost more than $100 million.

President Barack Obama supports the bill, the White House said Thursday.

The House is considering a similar bill that treats conventional and nuclear attacks differently, providing less federal help for attacks using conventional weapons.

The program was first enacted in 2002, when insurance companies were reluctant to provide coverage for terrorist attacks.

Judge: Teen lacked fatherly beatings

DETROIT -- A young man who participated in a mob attack on a Detroit-area motorist needed a father to "beat the hell" out of him as a kid to discourage him from committing such a crime, a judge said Thursday.

The remarks by Wayne County Judge James Callahan came as he sentenced Latrez Cummings to six months in jail.

In response to the judge's question, Cummings, 19, said his father wasn't around when he was growing up.

Callahan said Cummings needed a dad, "someone to discipline you. Someone to beat the hell out of you when you made a mistake, as opposed to allowing you or encouraging you to do it to somebody else."

Cummings and four others have pleaded guilty to assaulting Steve Utash, who was in a coma for days after the April attack. The mob pounced on him in Detroit when he got out of his pickup to help a 10-year-old boy who had stepped in front of his vehicle.

-- COMPILED BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS

A Section on 07/18/2014

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