November 6, 2023
Urge Your Representatives to Oppose Perry Amendments
that Cut Public Transportation Funding
Today, the House of Representatives is considering H.R. 4820, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 (THUD Appropriations bill). The House is planning on considering amendments tonight and tomorrow morning.
We urge you to contact your Representatives today to oppose Perry Amendment No. 23 to eliminate all Capital Investment Grant (CIG) funding under H.R. 4820, the THUD Appropriations bill. These critical infrastructure funds help communities, small and large, design and construct public transit systems, such as new Bus Rapid Transit, commuter rail, and light rail systems. Every $1 invested in public transit generates $5 in long-term economic return. Today, 69 projects across the nation are seeking $44 billion of CIG funds. See the APTA CIG Project Pipeline Dashboard.
We urge you to help us defeat this amendment with overwhelming bipartisan opposition.
In addition, APTA strongly opposes the Perry Amendments to eliminate all funding under the bill for:
- Amtrak National Network Funding (Amendment No. 20);
- Transit Infrastructure Grants (Amendment No. 22);
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority grants (Amendment No. 25);
- The Electric and Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program (Nehls/Perry Amendment No. 63); and
- Transit-Oriented Development (Amendment No. 70).
FRA Announces Passenger Rail Grant Funding
Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced it has awarded $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor (NEC), a railroad line running between Boston and Washington, D.C. These passenger rail projects were selected through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Federal-State Partnership Program) for projects located on the NEC. The Federal-State Partnership Program provides funding for capital projects that reduce the state of good repair backlog, improve performance, and expand or establish new intercity passenger rail service. It provides grant monies for projects along the NEC, as well as for projects not located on the NEC (i.e., National program grants).
According to FRA’s announcement, the program will make available $36 billion over the next five years, with $24 billion for projects on the NEC and $12 billion for intercity passenger rail projects and high-speed rail projects nationwide. Nationwide grants through the Federal-State Partnership program will be announced in the coming months.
See the full list of Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Fed-State NEC project selections.
View APTA LEG ALERT House THUD Appropriations Advocacy Action Alert (11-06-2023)
