AASHTO Journal, 9 May 2014
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee released its fiscal year 2015 budget, including its proposal for transportation, housing and urban development funding. In total, the measure includes $71 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation for the period between Oct. 1, 2014 and Sept. 30, 2015, or $1.1 billion below the FY 2014 enacted level and $19.5 billion less than President Obama’s FY 2015 transportation request.
Broken down, the bill provides $40.3 billion for the Federal-aid Highway Program (provided there is a transportation bill passed), equal to the FY 2014 level. The measure also includes $15.7 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration ($7.3 million less than the FY 2014 enacted level), which provides funding for FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation Systems and Contract Towers. In this measure, $1.4 billion goes to the Federal Railroad Administration, a cut of $193 million from the FY 2014 enacted level, and $10.5 billion for the Federal Transit Administration ($253 million under the FY 2014 enacted level). Transit formula grants would be funded at the FY 2014 level of $8.6 billion, while New Starts funding would be reduced by $252 million to $1.7 billion in FY 2015. The bill provides $824 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (up $5 million from FY 2014 levels) and $572 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The bill would cut Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants from the enacted FY 2014 level of $500 million to $100 million and also stipulates that the grants be used for roadway, bridge, port, and rail/intermodal improvements only.
“This bill makes responsible choices to trim programs while targeting taxpayer dollars where they are needed most—critical transportation and housing programs that our communities, our economy, and our people rely on,” said House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers in a statement. “While there is always more to do, this bill is a good step in the right direction, investing in these important programs to prepare our nation’s infrastructure for future economic growth, and to take care of our most vulnerable citizens.”
Additional information on the measure, including both a summary and the full text of the bill, is available here.