Economic Stimulus Legislation
February 1, 2008
(Download in Adobe PDF format)
The U.S. Senate is expected to consider the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 early next week. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Thune (R-SD), Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) will offer an amendment that provides $5 billion to be spent on "ready-to-go" transportation projects, including $1 billion for public transportation investment.
The Wyden-Thune-Dodd-Shelby amendment provides $1 billion in new federal transit funding under the following criteria:
- $700 million for "stimulus grants" via the Urbanized Area formula program, to be used for:
- the purchase of buses and rolling stock using existing contracts or
- backlogged maintenance activities.
- $300 million in "stimulus grants" to expedite the construction of projects with existing Full Funding Grant Agreements (FFGAs) under the New Starts program.
- Local match requirements for "stimulus grants" are waived, and recipients will have pre-award spending authority.
- All transportation funding under the amendment would need to be obligated within 120 days of enactment of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.
The amendment also includes provisions from the pending SAFETEA-LU corrections legislation that allows transit systems located in urbanized areas which transitioned from less than 200,000 in population to greater than in 200,000 population in the 2000 Census to use up to 50 percent of their eligible operating funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 for similar expenses in FY 2008 and FY 2009.
We ask all APTA members to contact their Senators immediately and urge them to support the Wyden-Thune-Dodd-Shelby amendment. APTA's members need to assure Senators that transit investment can be put into action quickly, generating a wide range of new economic activity. When communicating with your Senators, cite specific examples of your "ready-to-go" projects. Also, remind your Senators that for each $1 billion in new infrastructure investment, the economy creates 47,000 jobs.
Action Alert!
Contact your Senators immediately. Urge them to support public transportation investment in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 by adopting the Wyden-Thune-Dodd-Shelby amendment.
- Ask them to support the bi-partisan Wyden-Thune-Dodd-Shelby amendment and the $5 billion in new infrastructure investment it provides.
- Remind your Senator that for each $1 billion in new infrastructure investment, the economy creates 47,000 jobs.
- Cite specific examples of "ready-to-go" projects that your agency could fund with the $1 billion for public transportation the amendment provides.
For additional information regarding the economic stimulus package, please contact Homer Carlisle with APTA's Government Affairs Department at 202-496-4810 or hcarlisle@apta.com.
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