Moments ago, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through May 5th. The current CR expires at midnight tonight, but the Senate is expected to approve the CR and send it to the President’s desk for his signature prior to the deadline. Negotiations on a full-year Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations bill are continuing, although Congressional negotiators have indicated they need more time to finalize the legislation. Indications from conversations on Capitol Hill and press reports are that Congress will complete the full Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 appropriations process next week, especially now that contentious issues such as the border wall and Affordable Care Act subsidies have reportedly been removed from negotiations.

Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Update

The President’s full FY 2018 budget proposal is expected to be released in late May. APTA will communicate any developments related to this document’s release as soon as they are revealed. Given the proposal to phase out the Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program in the so-called “skinny budget” released in February, we are closely monitoring the situation and are poised to react swiftly and strongly to any further proposed reductions to federal public transportation programs.

APTA holds Forum on Benefits of Federal Public Transit Investment in America’s ‘Main Street’

Also on Wednesday, APTA held a panel discussion on Capitol Hill and a national press call on the benefits of federal public transportation investment to “main street” America and the devastating impact of the proposed cuts to the CIG program. If fully implemented, these proposed cuts would put at risk 800,000 jobs, including 502,000 construction and related jobs; and an additional 300,000 longer term jobs associated with economic productivity. Overall, this will result in a possible loss of $90 billion in economic output. Please use the Economic Impact Analysis report in your own advocacy efforts.

House Passes Legislation to Repeal MPO Consolidation Rule

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 417-3, legislation to repeal the December 2016 final rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) that would require many local metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the same region to merge. The bill now goes to the President’s desk for signature into law. To view the bill in its entirety,
please click here.

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