Senate Approves FY 2012 Transportation Appropriations

This week, the Senate approved the fiscal year 2012 transportation appropriations legislation that would fund the highway program in FY 2012 at the same level as FY 2011 and boost transit funds. The transportation funding was bundled together with two other appropriations bills, called a minibus, in an attempt to expedite completion of some of the funding measures necessary to keep the federal government operating. A continuing resolution is currently in place until Nov. 18 to keep government programs operating at last year’s funding levels. The transportation portion of the bill would maintain highway investment at the current level of $41.1 billion and increase transit investment by $300 million to $10.6 billion. The Airport Improvement Program is funded at $3.5 billion, the same level as in FY 2011. In addition, the bill provides $1.5 billion in emergency relief funding and $550 million for the Tiger Discretionary Grants Program. Several amendments that would impact transportation funding were considered but not adopted. The full House has not acted on the transportation appropriations. In September, the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee passed its version of the legislation, which set funding levels at far lower levels. That bill adhered to the principles set earlier this year in a House-passed resolution, which directed that highway and transit funding be set at levels that are supported by Highway Trust Fund revenue. The bill would cut the highway program to $27 billion and transit to $7 billion. Despite these dramatic proposed cuts, the House in September approved a short-term transportation authorization bill that maintained funding for highways and transit at current levels through March. It is unclear how and when the House and Senate will reconcile their differences on the FY 2012 appropriations bill. For more information, please contact Brian Deery at deeryb@agc.org or (703) 837-5319.