House Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2024 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations

On June 21, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations passed H.R. ___, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill by a vote of 33 to 25. The legislation provides important public transportation security assistance under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs, including:

  • $615 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-risk urban areas, and assist them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, prepare for, and respond to acts of terrorism. This amount is the same as the FY 2023 enacted level.
  • $105 million for the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP), with $10 million set aside for Amtrak security and $2 million for Over-the-Road Bus Security. Transit security grants are provided directly to public transit agencies to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism. This amount is the same as the FY 2023 enacted level.

Please view the House FY 2024 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, and the accompanying bill report.

Transportation Appropriations

As to FY 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations, neither the House nor Senate Appropriations Committees has released their respective bills or set dates for markup. We expect the House and/or Senate Appropriations Committees to advance THUD legislation in July. APTA continues to advocate for full funding for public transit and passenger rail as authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act

On May 15, 2023, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) introduced H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act, which was approved by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure by voice vote on May 23. The bill amends current law to remove the life-time exemption from the prohibition on the procurement of rolling stock from certain vehicle manufacturers for parties to executed contracts.

Current law (49 U.S.C. § 5323(u)) prohibits federal public transit funding to procure bus and rail rolling stock from an entity that is incorporated in or has manufacturing facilities in the United States and “is owned or controlled by, is a subsidiary of, or is otherwise related legally or financially to a corporation based in” China. However, the rail rolling stock procurement prohibition provisions do not apply to existing contracts (i.e., those agencies that formed a contract for rail rolling stock with a restricted manufacturer prior to December 20, 2019, § 5323(u)(5)). H.R. 3317 would eliminate this exception.

Please view an APTA Fact Sheet on H.R. 3317.

APTA’s September 14 Legislative Advocacy Fly-In

APTA will hold its 2023 Legislative Advocacy Fly-In on September 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C. The Fly-In is free to all APTA members and is financed by the APTA Business Member Activity Fund.

Online registration will be available soon.

Your voice is instrumental as Congress advances the FY 2024 THUD Appropriations bill and other critical legislation.

The program includes an exclusive advocacy day training on how to communicate APTA’s key initiatives with your Members of Congress and what to expect the day of the Fly-In; access to the advocacy day platform allowing participants to view schedules and exclusive member information; talking points and toolkits for your meetings; and guidance and support as you continue to build relationships with your Members of Congress after you return home.

For questions, please email Melissa Mejias, Senior Legislative Representative, Government Affairs and Advocacy at mmejias@apta.com.