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Congress Moves on Transportation Bills

Committees in both the Senate and the House took action at the end of June to advance several transportation bills. A summary follows.

Senate Appropriations Committee
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted June 25 to approve the Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations bill, which can now go to the full Senate, which is on recess until July 7.

The version of the bill passed by the full committee contained very few changes from the one passed by the THUD Subcommittee. Democratic and Republican members of the committee acknowledged that the discretionary spending caps set forth in the Budget Control Act were restraining spending to a point that prevented them from funding important priorities.

While several amendments were offered that would have increased spending on Amtrak, TIGER grants, New Starts and PTC implementation, none were adopted.

The bill provides $10.5 billion for FTA, $424 million less than the FY 2015 enacted level. Transit formula grants total $8.6 billion, contingent on the enactment of new transportation authorization legislation, as the current authorization, MAP-21, expires this year. This funding level is consistent with MAP-21.

It provides $1.6 billion for Capital Investment Grants (New Starts), fully funding all current Full Funding Grant Agreements as well as new projects. Another $75 million will fund core capacity projects and $30 million for Small Starts projects—competitive grant funding for major transit capital investments including rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail and BRT—planned and operated by local communities. Also, the TIGER grant funding level is $500 million, equal to the FY 2015 enacted level.

FRA would receive $1.68 billion, $53 million above the FY 2015 enacted level. This includes $289 million for Amtrak operations and continued service for all current routes and $1.1 billion for capital grants. The bill also provides an additional $17 million for the Northeast Corridor and Amtrak.

Funding for rail safety and research programs is $288 million, $12 million above the FY 2015 enacted level. The bill also allows $50 million for rail safety grants to support implementation of PTC.

Senate Commerce Committee
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation voted June 25 to approve the “Railroad Reform, Enhancement and Efficiency Act” with seven amendments.

The bipartisan measure authorizes $6.6 billion in Amtrak funding from FY 2016-FY 2019, averaging $1.65 billion per year, and $2.28 billion, averaging $570 million per year, for grants to rail agencies to fund a wide range of critical projects including installation of PTC, infrastructure and grade crossing improvements.

The bill also makes grants available for research initiatives, the development of rail safety standards and rail workforce development programs. It includes several safety provisions and makes changes to the Railroad ­Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program application and notification process.

Senate EPW
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously June 24 to approve the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act, S. 1647, which the committee leadership hopes will serve as the highway title for a six-year surface transportation authorization bill to be passed this year.

The DRIVE Act grows the highway program, providing $278 billion in contract authority over six years. An eventual bill would also include three other titles that have yet to be introduced: a public transit title (Banking Committee), a safety title (Commerce Committee) and a funding title (Finance Committee).

The legislation increases funding by more than 10 percent over six years for key formula programs including the National Highway Performance Program, the Surface Transportation Program, and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. It also creates the Assistance for Major Projects (AMP) program, a nationally competitive discretionary grant program funded at $300 million-$450 million per year over the six-year life of the bill. FHWA would administer the program, designed to help complete critical, high-cost infrastructure projects that achieve national or regional objectives.

Public transit agencies are eligible for grants under AMP, although the program only allows 20 percent of the program funds to go to transit, rail, and other intermodal projects.

The TIFIA loan program was amended to add eligibility for TOD projects, but eligible projects must have costs reasonably anticipated to be at least $10 million. The DRIVE Act also authorizes $72.5 million per year for the University Transportation Centers program.

Additional Hearings
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures hearing considered various repatriation proposals to fund the HTF.

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials heard testimony on PTC. (See story, page 3.)

The Senate Finance Committee explored financing options for transportation infrastructure, specifically public-private partnerships and private activity bonds.

For details, go to APTA’s latest Legis­lative Alert at www.apta.com.
 

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