House Committee Introduces Six-Year, $375
Billion Transit/Highways Bill; Transit to be Funded at $69.2 Billion!
November 19, 2003
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Great news! On November 19, 2003, the leadership of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) unveiled at a press
conference a $375 billion, six-year TEA 21 reauthorization bill, with $69.2
billion for the federal transit program. Bill Millar was among the outside
participants at the event speaking in support of the bill. Called the "Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy For Users" (TEA LU), the bill will be available
on the Committee's website later today or tomorrow at http://www.house.gov/transportation/.
The annual authorized funding levels for the transit program
are as follows: FY 2004: $8.2 billion; FY 2005: $9.7 billion; FY 2006: $10.9
billion; FY 2007: $12.2 billion; FY 2008: $13.4 billion; and FY 2009: $14.8
billion. The bill follows TEA 21's general program structure and ratios, and
includes some new programs. A new Small Starts program would cover streetcar,
flexible BRT, and commuter rail projects in the $25-$75 cost range; the program
would be funded "off the top" of the capital investment program,
and would grow over the life of the program from $150 million a year to $175
million a year. A New Freedom Initiative program to improve mobility for the
disabled beyond existing ADA requirements would be funded at $100 million
a year initially, growing to $175 million a year. The JARC program would be
allocated by formula. In response to APTA's reauthorization proposal, the
bill includes a new Transit Intensive program for UZAs under 200,000 in population,
which would be funded at $35 million a year and would grow to $50 million
a year. The rural program would grow immediately from its current 6.5% of
the formula program to 8% of that program.
Because the bill does not yet have a budget title, it does
not include guaranteed funding or firewalls, but the Committee has clearly
stated that highway and transit programs are meant to be guaranteed, including
both the General Fund and Trust Fund components. To fix an accounting problem
created by the fact that both Trust Funds and General Funds support the federal
transit program, the bill would fund New Starts, Small Starts, Research, and
Administrative Expenses under the General Fund, while all other programs would
be funded under the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund.
Chairman Young stated that the T & I Committee hoped
to mark up the bill early in the next session of Congress, then have the House
Ways and Means Committee add the bill's revenue title to it, and get it approved
by the House by mid March. In terms of revenue sources, "everything is
on the table." Stay tuned for a Washington Report soon on this and many
other pending legislative issues.
Action Call!
Visit the APTA Transit Action Center at http://www.apta.com/transitaction/index.asp
and write to your congressional delegation in support of reauthorization.
Contact your congressional delegation during the Congressional recess.
Stay tuned for APTA's Reauthorization NOW! Campaign which will guide
and focus our activities over the next four months to get TEA 21 reauthorized!
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