Continuing Resolution Funds FTA Administration
October 7, 2005
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With the beginning of the new federal fiscal year on October 1,
Congress approved a Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Continuing Resolution (PL 109-77) to fund
through November 18 those programs under the pending appropriations bills not yet completed by Congress.
The Continuing Resolution continues programs under the FY 2006
Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary and Housing and Urban Development appropriations
bill (H.R. 3058), along with other unfinished appropriations bills, but only funds
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) administrative expenses through November 18 and
does not provide any partial FY 2006 funding of the federal transit program. Under
continuing resolutions passed last year, the FTA delayed formula apportionments and
other grants until the final appropriations bill was passed. Making partial apportionments
this year would be even more difficult, because program changes made under SAFETEA-LU have
not yet been incorporated into either the House-passed or Senate committee-approved
transportation appropriations bills (since both were crafted prior to enactment of SAFETEA-LU).
In short, FTA is able to pay employee salaries and administrative expenses through November 18
at FY 2005 levels, but not make FY 2006 grants yet.
Senate Action Expected on Transportation Appropriations
Bill
The full Senate is expected to act on its version of the FY 2006 transportation
appropriations bill (H.R. 3058) soon after Congress returns from its Columbus
Day break on October 17. Once the Senate approves the FY 2006 transportation
appropriations bill, conferees from both Houses will need to develop a conference
agreement to reconcile differences in the respective bills.
APTA continues to urge Congress to fund transit programs at the $8.622 billion
level authorized and guaranteed by SAFETEA-LU. The House bill provides $8.482
billion for the federal transit program in FY 2006, while the Senate bill
approved by the Appropriations Committee provides $8.208 billion for transit.
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.
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ACTION CALL!
Contact your congressional delegation and ask them to contact members of the
Senate and House Appropriations Committees with the following message:
Explain that because the FY 2006 Transportation Appropriations bill was
developed before SAFETEA-LU was completed, it does not fund new transit
programs authorized under SAFETEA-LU, make important policy changes required
by the new law, or provide the same overall level of funding authorized
and guaranteed under SAFETEA-LU. Ask them to urge Appropriations leaders to reconcile the FY 2006 Transportation
Appropriations bill with SAFETEA-LU and to fully fund the authorized and
guaranteed FY 2006 transit program.
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FY 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill Passed
The FY 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations bill was passed by the House
yesterday and the Senate today. The President is expected to sign the bill.
The conference agreement sent to the President contains $150 million for rail
and transit security grants, the amount provided in the House-passed version
of the bill and the same amount provided for the program in FY 2005. Prior
to the conference committee's approval of the bill, Rep. David Obey (D-WI)
and Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) offered an amendment to increase transit security
funding to $400 million along with increases for other programs. Unfortunately,
the amendment was rejected.
While funding for rail and transit security grants was not increased over
last year's levels, the conference report highlights other opportunities for
security funding. The report urges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
to work with state and local governments to ensure transit authorities are
given due consideration in the distribution of State Formula Grants. In addition,
the Science and Technology Directorate is directed to identify research and
design requirements for rail and transit security, and has been urged to investigate
the use of nanotechnology in protecting transit systems. Finally, the report
criticizes the Transit Security Administration's pace for deployment for rail
inspectors and canine teams to transit systems, urging the agency to quickly
deploy all inspectors and canine teams as required by last year's DHS appropriations
legislation.
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.
Hurricane Katrina Transit Relief Announced
Earlier this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta made available
$47 million in federal emergency funds to help restore transit service to
New Orleans and expand service in Baton Rouge after the city's population
doubled from 400,000 to 800,000 following Hurricane Katrina. Funding comes
from emergency supplemental appropriations bills passed by Congress last month
and will be dispersed under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance program.
US DOT Developing Cost Estimate for Repairs
The U.S. Department of Transportation continues to develop estimates on
the cost of repairing transportation infrastructure in the affected Gulf Coast
regions. Reportedly, initial federal estimates for Louisiana, Mississippi
and Alabama developed last week were about $3 billion for highways and bridges
and $1.5 billion for public transportation, but these figures have not been
released publicly. During testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Transportation this week, Secretary Mineta declined to provide information
on estimated costs, insisting that any current estimates are premature and
could change significantly in the coming weeks.
Members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation introduced a $250 billion
legislative package last week that included $17.3 billion for immediate repairs
and future "critical needs" for the state's transportation systems.
The Appropriations committees in the House and Senate are reviewing the request
and will likely consider a smaller package once the Administration releases
its third emergency supplemental funding request to Congress for hurricane
relief that is expected later this month or next.
For more information on Hurricane Katrina issues, please contact Rob Healy
of APTA's Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4811 or email rhealy@apta.com.
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