FY 2006 Transportation Appropriations Bill Sent to President -
12.3 Percent Increase for Transit!
November 22, 2005
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Before recessing for Thanksgiving on Friday, November 18,
both Houses of Congress approved the conference agreement on the Fiscal Year
2006 Departments of Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development,
the Judiciary, and Independent Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 3058). The
House passed the measure by a vote of 392-31, and the Senate approved the
bill by unanimous consent. The bill provides $8.590 billion for federal transit
programs during the current fiscal year, 12.3 percent or $944 million more
than the FY 2005 level. The President is expected to sign the bill soon. Once
he does, FTA must by law publish its apportionment of funds within 10 days
and FY 2006 transit funds can begin to be made available. Last week the APTA
Executive Committee adopted a resolution urging Congress and the Administration
to expedite and streamline the flow of SAFTEA-LU funds to enhance private
sector business activity depressed by the delay in reauthorization, and APTA
staff this week and next are communicating that message in meetings with senior
DOT officials.
The conference agreement notes that the FY 2006 Appropriations
bill..."follows the structure of SAFETEA-LU." The bill appropriates
all funding authorized from the Mass Transit Account, but due to a smaller
than anticipated allocation of general funds makes a small cut ($33 million)
from SAFETEA-LU levels. The bill also redirects a small percentage of funds
from Fixed-Guideway Modernization to the New Starts program. Funding for FTA
operations is $2 million less than authorized, and the bill sets funding for
research programs at $17.2 million above the authorized levels and earmarks
such funds. The bill earmarks all funding for the Bus and Bus Facilities program
that was not previously earmarked by SAFETEA-LU, and earmarks funds for News
Starts projects. In report language, the conferees also direct FTA to develop
a program to encourage and incentivize far greater number of transit systems
to adopt hybrid bus technology, which is to be submitted with the FY 2007
budget proposal.
The House Rules Committee has posted the text of the completed
bill and the statement of the conference committee's managers which explains
most sections of the bill. New Starts earmarks are in both the Legislative
Text and the Joint Explanatory Statement, and all other earmarks including
Bus and Bus Facilities earmarks are in the Joint Explanatory Statement. Click
on either link provided below:
Legislative
Text Joint Explanatory
Statement
For more information on the FY 2006 appropriations bill,
please contact Rob Healy of APTA's Government Affairs Department at (202)
496-4811 or email rhealy@apta.com.
FY 2006 vs. FY 2005 Federal Transit Program
Funding
| Program |
FY 2005 Appropriations |
FY 2006 Appropriations |
Change from FY 2005 to FY 2006 |
| (Millions) |
(Millions) |
(Millions) |
Percent |
| Total All Programs |
7,646.3 |
8,590.4 |
944.0 |
12.3% |
| Formula and Bus |
6,075.8 |
6,932.2 |
856.3 |
14.1% |
| § 5307 Urbanized Area [Excluding UZA Portion of § 5340] |
3,593.2 |
3,466.7 |
(126.5) |
-3.5% |
| § 5340 Growing States and High Density States |
--- |
388.0 |
388.0 |
--- |
| § 5311 Rural Area [Excluding Rural Portion of § 5340] |
250.9 |
388.0 |
137.1 |
54.6% |
| § 5311(b)(2) RTAP |
5.2 |
In § 5311 |
--- |
--- |
| § 5310 Elderly and Disabled |
94.5 |
112.0 |
17.5 |
18.5% |
| § 5317 New Freedom |
--- |
78.0 |
78.0 |
--- |
| Alaska Railroad |
4.8 |
--- |
(4.8) |
-100.0% |
| § 5308 Clean Fuels Formula |
49.7 |
43.0 |
(6.7) |
-13.5% |
| § 3038 Over-the Road Bus |
6.9 |
7.5 |
0.6 |
8.8% |
| § 09(m)(2)(B) Fixed-Guideway Modernization |
1,204.7 |
1,343.2 |
138.5 |
11.5% |
| § 09(m)(2)(C) Bus and Bus Facilities |
669.5 |
822.3 |
152.8 |
22.8% |
| § 5305 Planning Total |
72.4 |
95.0 |
22.6 |
31.2% |
| § 5303 Metropolitan Planning |
59.9 |
78.6 |
18.7 |
31.2% |
| § 5313 State Planning |
12.5 |
16.4 |
3.9 |
31.2% |
| § 5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute |
124.0 |
138.0 |
14.0 |
11.3% |
| § 5320 Alternative Transportation in Parks |
--- |
22.0 |
22.0 |
--- |
| § 5335 Reports and Audits |
--- |
3.5 |
3.5 |
--- |
| § 5339 Alternatives Analysis |
--- |
25.0 |
25.0 |
--- |
| Capital Investment |
1,437.8 |
1,503.0 |
65.2 |
4.5% |
| § 09(m)(2)(A) New Starts |
1,437.8 |
1,503.0 |
65.2 |
4.5% |
| Research and University Research Centers |
55.3 |
75.2 |
19.9 |
36.0% |
| § 5313(a) TCRP |
8.2 |
9.0 |
0.8 |
10.0% |
| § 5315 National Transit Inst. |
4.0 |
4.3 |
0.3 |
8.4% |
| § 5314 National Research |
37.2 |
54.2 |
17.0 |
45.7% |
| § 5506 University Centers |
6.0 |
7.0 |
1.0 |
17.6% |
| FTA Administration |
77.4 |
80.0 |
2.6 |
3.4% |
Across-the-Board Cut Could Reduce Government-wide Funding
for FY 2006
While the new appropriations bill sets funding for the current
fiscal year, Congress is expected to enact an across-the-board cut on discretionary
spending before adjourning for the year in December. If enacted, an across-the-board
cut would reduce funds for federal discretionary programs, including transit
and other federal transportation programs. The cut is expected to be in the
1 to 2 percent range, and is likely to be applied to all discretionary programs
with the possible exception of military programs.
The House is expected to return from the Thanksgiving recess
during the week of December 5, and the Senate plans to return the week of
December 12. Both Houses are expected to wrap up remaining appropriations
bills, including another supplemental appropriations bill providing hurricane
relief, and a budget reconciliation bill that may include the proposed across-the-board
cut, before adjournment on or about December 16.
For more information on the proposed across-the-board cut
or any other appropriations matters, please contact Rob Healy of APTA's Government
Affairs Department at (202) 496-4811 or email rhealy@apta.com.
Amtrak Funding Increased; Commuter Rail Cost-Sharing
Provisions Added
The FY 2006 Transportation Appropriations bill also provides
$1.315 billion for Amtrak, an increase of $107.7 million over FY 2005, but
numerous new restrictions have been placed on the railroad's activities. For
the first time, funding for Amtrak will be split among three accounts: Capital
and Debt Service, Operating Subsidy Grants and Efficiency Incentive Grants
with spending limitations and guidelines in each category. Amtrak is also
required to cut costs below certain to-be-established baseline costs or federal
subsidies for controversial Amtrak services like food service and first class
(sleeper car) operations will be cut off next summer.
In addition, the US DOT Secretary is directed "to determine
the capital and maintenance cost to Amtrak associated with the use of Amtrak-owned
infrastructure on the Northeast Corridor by commuter railroads that operate
over that corridor" and to "determine and assess appropriate fees"
based on that use. The fees are to be established through an open and transparent
process that seeks to yield a consensus among stakeholders on the appropriate
distribution of costs.
For more information on issues related to Amtrak, please
contact Art Guzzetti of APTA's Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4814
or aguzzetti@apta.com.
Homeland Security Issues
Security Bills Advanced by Senate Committees
On November 16, the Senate Banking Committee approved the
Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention Act of 2005 (S.2032). This legislation
authorizes $3.5 billion over three years for transit security, including both
capital and operating assistance. A nearly identical bill was introduced last
year and later passed by the Senate unanimously, but the House failed to advance
similar legislation during last year's session. A new version of last year's
House bill, the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2005 (H.R.
153), was introduced earlier this year, but the bill has not advanced out
of the Homeland Security Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee to which it was referred. Both bills envision that transit funding
would be separate from and supplementary to federal programs for investment
in public transportation infrastructure.
The Senate Commerce Committee also addressed security issues
last week when on November 17 it reported the Transportation Security Improvement
Act of 2005 (S.1052) out of committee. Among other things, the bill would
direct a study to analyze the cost and feasibility of requiring security screening
for passengers, baggage, and mail on passenger trains.
For more information on transit security issues, please contact
Tom Yedinak of APTA's Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4865 or email
tyedinak@apta.com.
|
Upcoming Washington, D.C. Events
|
| Event |
Date |
Location |
Time |
| APTA Capitol Hill Holiday Reception |
December 1 |
Rayburn House Office Building, Rayburn Foyer, for easy
access use Independence Ave. entrance |
5:30 - 7:30 p.m |
|
|
|
|
| APTA Legislative Committee Meeting |
December 2 |
L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW |
8:30 a.m. breakfast, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. meeting |
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