Continuing Resolution Funds FTA Programs through February 15
-- House and Senate Appropriators Plan Joint Resolution
December 15, 2006
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Congress has passed a new continuing resolution (CR) that provides funding at Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 levels for most federal programs, including the federal transit and highway programs, through February 15, 2007.
The extension, the third of this fiscal year, was approved during the final late-night sessions of the House and Senate in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 9. After passing the CR and addressing other last-minute matters, the 109th Congress formally adjourned, ending its term of service. President Bush subsequently signed the CR later the same day. Congress adjourned without completing action on nine of the twelve annual appropriations bills, necessitating the passage of the new CR.
The incoming 110th Congress will convene on January 4 and is expected to begin work immediately, staying in session throughout January and February. While the current CR runs through February 15, the incoming leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees this week announced their intention to fund programs now under the CR by "passing a year-long joint resolution". They also announced that there will be "no Congressional earmarks in the joint funding resolution" that they will pass. They indicated that they would place a moratorium on all earmarks until a reformed process is put in place. While there is much ambiguity at this point on exactly how such a long-term bill will affect transit funding and transit earmarks, many have interpreted their comments to mean that current programs will be funded at the lower of the FY 2006 levels and FY 2007 levels as passed, which is the language in the current CR and which would mean the FY 2006 level for transit and highway programs. The appropriators did say, in the one statement they have released thus far, that they would do their best to make limited adjustments within the confines of the existing budget to address the nation's most important policy concerns.
The details of this agreement and the ultimate funding bill are unlikely to be finalized before Congress reconvenes in January. In addition, its implementation could be affected by the recent illness of Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD). If Senator Johnson were unable to return to serve in the 110th Congress, it is possible that the Democrats would not gain control of the Senate. APTA and its coalition partners are continuing to make the case for full funding of the levels authorized in FY 2007 under SAFETEA-LU.
ACTION CALL!
Contact your Senators, Representatives and their staffs with the following message:
- Urge them to support transit funding in FY 2007, in any long-term funding bill, at the level approved on June 14, 2006 by a vote of 406-22 in the House -- which at $8.979 billion is $4 million above the level authorized by SAFETEA-LU.
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Congressional and Committee Leaders for the 110th Congress
While some decisions on committee leadership have not yet been finalized, and many assignments for rank and file members of respective commmittees are still to be completed, APTA has compiled the following information on leadership and committee leadership decisions that have been made at this point.
Senate
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Harry Reid (NV)
- Majority Whip: Richard Durbin (IL)
- Conference Vice Chair: Charles Schumer (NY)
- Conference Secretary: Patty Murray (WA)
- Policy Committee Chair: Byron Dorgan (ND)
- Campaign Committee Chair: Charles Schumer (NY)
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Senate Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell (KY)
- Senate Minority Whip: Trent Lott (MS)
- Conference Chair: Jon Kyl (AZ)
- Policy Committee Chair: Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
- Conference Vice Chair: John Cornyn (TX)
- Campaign Committee Chair: John Ensign (NV)
House of Representatives
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Speaker: Nancy Pelosi (CA)
- House Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer (MD)
- House Majority Whip: James Clyburn (SC)
- Conference Chair: Rahm Emanuel (IL)
- Conference Vice Chair: John Larson (CT)
Minority (Republican) leadership
- House Minority Leader: John Boehner (OH)
- House Minority Whip: Roy Blunt (MO)
- Conference Chair: Adam Putnam (FL)
- Conference Vice Chair: Kay Granger (TX)
- Conference Secretary: John Carter (TX)
- Policy Committee Chair: Thad McCotter (MI)
- Campaign Committee Chair: Tom Cole (OK)
Authorizing Committees
Senate Banking Committee
- Chairman: Christopher Dodd (CT)
- Housing & Transportation Subcommittee Chairman: Jack Reed (RI)
- Ranking Member: Richard Shelby (AL)
- Subcommittee Ranking Member: Wayne Allard (CO)
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
- Chairman: James Oberstar (MN)
- Highways, Transit & Pipelines Subcommittee Chairman: Peter DeFazio (OR)
- Ranking Member: John Mica (FL)
- Subcommittee Ranking Member:
Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee
- Chairman: Joe Lieberman (CT)
- Ranking Member: Susan Collins (ME)
House Homeland Security Committee
- Chairman: Bennie Thompson (MS)
- Ranking Member: Peter King (NY)
Appropriations Committees
Senate Appropriations Committee
- Chairman: Robert Byrd (WV)
- Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, Housing & Urban Development, & Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman: Patty Murray (WA)
- Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman:
- Ranking Member: Kit Bond (MO)
- Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member: Thad Cochran (MS)
- Homeland Security Subcommittee Ranking Member:
House Appropriations Committee
- Chairman: David Obey (WI)
- Transportation, Treasury, & Housing & Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia Subcommittee Chairman: John Olver (MA)
- Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman:
- Ranking Member: Jerry Lewis (CA)
- Subcommittee Ranking Member: Joe Knollenberg (MI)
- Homeland Security Subcommittee Ranking Member: Harold Rogers (KY)
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