DALLAS - The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a transportation bill for fiscal 2015 that would keep federal highway funding at fiscal 2014 levels.
The committee's proposal, which passed on a 28-21 vote, would provide $41 billion for highway projects next year, more than $7 billion less than requested by President Obama in his proposed fiscal 2015 budget for the Department of Transportation.
The president's 2015 budget request includes $48.6 billion for highway projects and $22.3 billion in transit funding, an increase of $10 billion from 2014 spending.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last week approved a six-year highway bill that calls for 2015 funding at 2014 levels plus inflation. That bill would provide $242 billion for roads and bridges through 2020.
"While there is always more to do, this bill is a good step in the right direction, investing in these important programs to prepare our nation's infrastructure for future economic growth," said committee chairman Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky. "This bill focuses funding on the infrastructure that grows the American economy and on the housing options that protect our most vulnerable citizens."
Rogers said the bill "strikes a fine balance between fiscal restraint and careful investment in our nation's transportation infrastructure and economic well-being."
The committee's bill also includes the 2015 budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and related agencies.
The committee rejected an attempt by Democrats on the panel to restore funding for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant program to the $600 million in the fiscal 2014 budget from the $100 million in the committee's bill.
The president requested $1.16 billion for TIGER in 2015 and a total of $5 billion over four years.
Rep. David Price, D-N.C., who sponsored the failed amendment, said funding for the TIGER program should be increased.
"What are we doing, cutting this program by 80%?" Price asked. "We should be doubling-down on these investments, like the president's budget does."
Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, chairman of the Appropriations Committee's transportation subcommittee, said the TIGER program had grown beyond what had been intended when it was created by the 2009 stimulus act.
"We're trying to focus the department on transportation projects of a truly regional and national significance with this budget," he said.
Latham said the budget bill was prepared with an eye on meeting vital needs while keeping a rein on federal spending.
"This is a sound, commonsense bill that meets our highest transportation and housing priorities in a fiscally responsible way," he said.
Amtrak would receive $850 million in capital grants next year under the committee's bill, $200 million less than in 2014 and some $400 million less than requested by the Federal Railway Administration.
Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., said he was ashamed at the low level of funding for Amtrak capital projects and other infrastructure programs in the committee's budget bill.
"Can't we just keep the funding at current levels?" he asked. "We'd rather cut, squeeze and trim. We are glee[ful] about how much we're able to cut."
The committee's bill would reduce the New Starts grant program for rail and transit projects to $1.7 billion from $1.9 billion in 2014. The president's 2015 budget seeks $2.5 billion for the capital improvements grant program.
