"Democratic leaders also relented to Republican demands to modify the state's low-carbon fuel standard, or "clean fuels" law. Republicans like Bentz wanted to cap the law's effect on the price of fuel and make its inner workings more transparent, demands Democrats eventually agreed to. The changes asked for by Republicans allow the clean fuels law to remain essentially intact, depending on market conditions."

By Gordon R. Friedman, The Oregonian.

SALEM -- A $5.3 billion proposal to raise taxes and fees to pay for Portland-area congestion relief and transportation upgrades across Oregon passed the state House Wednesday.

The 39-20 vote propels legislative leaders one step closer toward achieving a central goal of this year's session: Pass a bill to upgrade Oregon's crumbling roads and bridges, expand gridlocked highways, pump money into public transit systems and improve how the Oregon Department of Transportation does business.