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Lieberman-Warner Climate Change Bill Considered, Then Withdrawn From The Senate Floor; House Climate Bills Under Development
The Senate began debate on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 3036) during the week of June 3, but Democratic leaders withdrew the measure after four days of debate. The legislation was pulled from consideration after a procedural vote failed to prevent a filibuster by the bill’s opponents. While Lieberman-Warner was not expected to pass this year, the Senate debate on the bill was shorter than expected because of partisan differences over the amendment process and an unrelated dispute concerning judicial appointments. The version of Lieberman-Warner brought to the Senate floor by Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) would have provided $171 billion to transit between 2012 and 2050.
Since its introduction last year, the Lieberman-Warner bill’s provisions related to transit and transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions have improved significantly. As introduced, the legislation did not include funding for transit-related solutions and only addressed transportation sector emissions through vehicle and fuel technology. At the EPW Committee markup of the bill last December, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) proposed to dedicate roughly $38 billion for public transportation investment between 2012 and 2050, the span of Lieberman-Warner’s cap-and-trade system, and the Committee adopted his proposal.
Since markup, APTA worked with Senators Cardin, Tom Carper (D-DE), Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and others to urge EPW Chairman Boxer to increase transit investment. On May 22, Boxer released a new version of the bill, which included the $171 billion funding level for transit.
For a summary of all transit-related provisions in the bill considered by the Senate, click here. During last week’s debate, Senators Cardin, Carper and Dodd filed amendments to the Lieberman-Warner bill to provide additional transit investment, but the failed cloture vote precluded consideration of any amendments.
Climate change legislation is not expected to return to the Senate floor this year, but EPW Chairman Barbara Boxer has already begun meeting with Senators in an effort to expedite consideration of a bill next year and address any adverse impact of a cap-and-trade system on consumer energy prices. Presumptive Presidential nominees Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) were absent from last week’s debate, but both expressed support for the cap-and-trade concept and stated that they would have voted to continue debate, a signal of their interest in pursuing legislation next year.
APTA will continue to work with the Senate to increase public transportation investment in next year’s Senate climate change bill. One-third of CO2 emissions in the U.S. are produced in the transportation sector, but the Lieberman-Warner bill dedicated less than 5 percent of cap-and-trade revenue to investment in transit and other strategies that reduce transportation-related emissions. APTA recommended that Lieberman-Warner direct no less than 6 percent of its revenue for investment in transit and no less than 4 percent to local, regional, and state efforts to curb growth in vehicle travel. To view APTA’s recommendations for Lieberman-Warner, click here.
In the House of Representatives, the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over climate change issues, is evaluating options to address global warming, but has not yet introduced legislation. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, recently introduced the outline of a bill to address climate change. Markey’s “Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act” (H.R. 6186) utilizes a cap-and-trade system and provides roughly 2.5 percent of revenues from its cap-and-trade system to transit investment and other strategies that curb growth in vehicle travel. Several members of the House, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), have expressed support for increasing investment in public transportation to address climate change. APTA is working to promote transit investment when climate change legislation advances in the House.
Contact Homer Carlisle of APTA’s Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4810 or email hcarlisle@apta.com for additional information regarding climate change legislation.
House Approves Amtrak Reauthorization Legislation
On June 11, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 6003, the “Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008” by a vote of 311-104. The measure authorizes $14.4 billion in Amtrak and passenger rail over a five-year period. In addition to substantial funding increases for Amtrak operating and capital expenses, the legislation includes a number of provisions advocated by APTA to promote the development of passenger rail. The bill authorizes $2.5 billion for grants to states to pay for capital costs of facilities and equipment necessary to provide new or improved intercity passenger rail. It also authorizes $1.75 billion for grants to states and/or Amtrak to finance the construction of new high-speed rail corridors. In addition, the bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to seek proposals for high-speed rail projects operating between Washington, D.C. and New York City, and establishes a process at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to help mediate disputes between commuter rail providers and freight railroads over the use of freight rail tracks or rights-of-way.
Last October, the Senate passed a version of the legislation that authorizes $11.4 billion for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail. The legislation does not include the House-passed provisions promoting high speed rail or the non-binding mediation process at STB. The sponsors of the legislation in both chambers hope to convene a conference soon to work out the differences in the two versions, and to send a final package to the President by the end of the year. The President has threatened to veto the measure, however, because of its “high cost and lack of meaningful reforms in Amtrak’s governance or operations without allocating resources based on the demand for passenger rail service,” according to the Administration’s statement of policy on the bill. For a copy of APTA’s testimony on the Amtrak legislation please click here.
Contact Tom Yedinak of APTA’s Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4865 or email tyedinak@apta.com for additional information regarding the Amtrak legislation.
House Subcommitee Approves Transit Security Funding
On June 11, the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security Appropriations approved the fiscal year (FY) 2009 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill. Included in the legislation is $400 million for transit and rail security grants, the same level of funding as last year. This level of funding is $225 million more than the Administration requested in their budget, but $350 million short of the level authorized in H.R. 1, the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007. The full committee will consider the legislation next week. It is not yet clear when the Senate will consider their version of the DHS funding bill. For a copy of APTA’s written testimony regarding transit security funding please click here.
Contact Tom Yedinak of APTA’s Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4865 or email tyedinak@apta.com for additional information regarding transit security legislation.
Comments Due This Week On Federal Transit Administration’s Proposed Revision To School Bus Transportation Policy Guidance
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has proposed changes to its policy guidance regarding school bus service that threatens the ability of public transportation providers to transport students. The policy guidance would limit a transit agency’s ability to design bus routes to accommodate students and school schedules. The proposed changes could have a severe economic impact on school districts that rely on public transportation to deliver students to schools. APTA has joined with the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS), and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), to oppose the proposed changes through the submission of joint comments for the docket. The draft comment can be found here.
Please consider drafting your own comments and submitting them to the FTA docket, then work with your local school systems and encourage them to submit comments to the FTA on the negative impact of this proposed change to long established policy and practice. Comments are due on Wednesday, June 18.
ACTION ALERT
- Draft and submit for the docket a comment to FTA opposing the proposed changes to the policy guidance regarding the provision of school bus service by Wednesday, June 18.
U.S. Senate Renews Efforts To Fix Highway Trust Fund
A coalition of Senators led by Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA), FinanceCommittee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Finance Committee Minority Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA) are proposing to add language to an extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) law that would address projected shortfalls in the Highway Trust Fund in FY 2008. The proposed amendment would transfer up to $8 billion from the general fund to the trust fund, allowing the Appropriations Committee to fully fund the Highway program at SAFETEAU-LU approved levels next year. The transfer would reimburse the trust fund from amounts transferred from the Highway Trust Fund to the general fund in 1998, and would result in no net cost to the federal government. APTA supports this fix as a preferable alternative to transferring funds from the Mass Transit Account to the Highway Account to cover the shortfall, as proposed by the Administration. Senators Murray and Baucus have asked transportation stakeholders to contact their Senators to urge them to support the Highway Trust Fund fix as part of the FAA extension bill, which must pass Congress by the end of this month.
ACTION ALERT
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Call your Senator and urge them to support the Baucus-Grassley-Murray Highway Trust Fund Fix as part of the FAA extension act, which must pass Congress by the end of the month.
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Explain to your Senator that the legislation is a preferable alternative to transferring funds from the Mass Transit Account, and would result in no net cost to the federal government.