Sept. 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved Fiscal Year 2012 funding for the highway and transit programs at the same level as FY 2011. In addition, the bill provides an additional $1.9 billion in emergency relief funding and $550 million for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants Program. These funding levels contrast significantly from the bill approved earlier by the House transportation appropriations subcommittee which set funding at far lower levels. Those funding levels adhere to the principles set in a budget resolution passed in the House earlier this year, which directed that highway and transit funding be set at levels supported by Highway Trust Fund revenue.
The full House Appropriations Committee has not yet acted on the measure. It is unlikely action will be completed on this legislation before Sept. 30, 2011, the end of the current fiscal year. If not, the highway and transit appropriations may be included in a continuing resolution.
Last week Congress passed a six month extension to authorize the FAA and highway programs at current funding levels. The appropriations bill is needed to provide the cash necessary to meet the authorized funding levels contained in the extension.
A comparison of the funding levels approved thus far follows:
|
FY 2011 |
House |
Senate |
| Federal-aid Highways (Ob Limit) |
$41.107 B |
$27 B |
$41.107 B |
| Federal Highways (Emergency) |
Zero |
Zero |
$1.5 B |
| FTA Formula Grants (Ob Limit) |
$8.343 B |
$5.2 B |
$8.343 B |
| FTA Capital Investment Grants |
$1.597 B |
$1.554 B |
$1.955 B |
| High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail |
ZERO |
ZERO |
$100 M |
| TIGER II/NII Discretionary Grants |
$527 M |
ZERO |
$550 M |
| National Infrastructure Bank |
Zero |
Zero |
Zero |
| FAA Airport Grants (Ob Limit) |
$3.515 B |
$3.350 B |
$3.515 B |
For more information, please contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 or deeryb@agc.org.