{"id":41402,"date":"2017-07-12T14:59:21","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T18:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/?p=41402"},"modified":"2017-07-12T14:59:21","modified_gmt":"2017-07-12T18:59:21","slug":"house-appropriations-committee-releases-details-2018-transportation-funding-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/house-appropriations-committee-releases-details-2018-transportation-funding-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"House Appropriations Committee releases details of 2018 transportation funding bill","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

On July 10, the House Appropriations Committee released the fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill, which includes funding for the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other related agencies.
\nAlthough the bill will fund many important transportation projects and agencies, including Amtrak, at the same time it eliminates funding for DOT’s TIGER grant program and prohibits any funding for the ongoing California high-speed rail project.<\/p>\n

Tiger grant defunded<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In effect since 2009, the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program<\/a> provides funding to improve safety and economic opportunity. It has supported innovative projects including multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects and has improved access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation for communities.
\nSince the program’s inception, the TIGER grant program has provided a combined $5.1 billion to 421 projects in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Demand is high in the TIGER grant program and 2016 saw requests that far exceeded the available funds allotted to the program.
\nIf the House Appropriations bill passes as is, this valuable and much sought after program will be eliminated.<\/p>\n

SMART TD reaction to bill<\/h2>\n

\u201cThese levels of funding for Amtrak are significant compared to the White House\u2019s disastrous plan to eliminate long distance trains,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/b>said John Risch, SMART TD national legislative director.\u00a0<\/b><\/span>\u201cThere is still a long ways to go in the process. We will continue to work with the entire House and Senate to strike the awful language regarding California high speed rail and try to get increased funding for both transit and passenger rail.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn North Dakota, there is a nasty big-truck provision in the bill that would increase allowable truck weights to 129,000 lbs. – that needs to be removed,” Risch continued. “North Dakota\u2019s roads and bridges are already being pounded by oil industry trucks and this terrible idea makes it final that passage road conditions will get far worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Transportation Funding Highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Department of Transportation (DOT) \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>The bill includes $17.8 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2018. This is $646 million below the fiscal year 2017 enacted level and $1.5 billion above the President\u2019s request. In total budgetary resources, including offsetting collections, the bill provides $76.7 billion to improve and maintain our nation\u2019s transportation infrastructure.
\nThe bill targets funding to programs and projects that will increase efficiency, safety, reliability and quality of life for the traveling public, and that will help improve commerce and economic growth.<\/p>\n