Employment opportunities in this week's classifieds include two CEO positions and several high-level technical posts!

The full House voted July 29 to approve H.R. 5850, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, increasing public transit funding. The vote was 251 in favor and 167 opposed.

The legislation includes $11.3 billion for public transportation investments, $500 million more than FY 2010 and $575 million above the president’s request, to support bus and rail projects. It also has a provision for $250 million in transit operating assistance grants, if legislation is enacted authorizing such activities. Several amendments were defeated that would have reduced funding for many of the transit and rail programs.

Regarding intercity and high-speed rail, H.R. 5850 provides $1.4 billion—$400 million above the administration’s request—to expand and improve intercity passenger rail and develop a robust national high-speed rail system.

The House also approved $75 million for grants to help deploy positive train control (PTC) systems, to help train operators acquire and implement PTC as required on all lines that jointly operate passenger and freight traffic by Dec. 15, 2015, and $150 million to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for capital and preventive maintenance.

The full Senate still needs to approve the appropriations bill. Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee provided $10.8 billion for public transit, nearly the same amount provided in FY 2010. The Senate is not expected to take up this issue before the August recess.

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