House funding leaders back $1.9 Billion USDOT budget increase

From Transport Topics.

A new bill from U.S. House lawmakers meant to fund the Department of Transportation through fiscal 2022 would back an operational budget increase for federal trucking safety programs and ensure the distribution of infrastructure grants around the country.

As part of an appropriations bill approved by a House panel July 12, federal transportation and housing programs would receive $84.1 billion for the next fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The total funding reflects an increase of $8.7 billion, or more than 11% than last year’s approved level. For USDOT, it would mean a $1.9 billion increase.

House Democratic leaders, who plan to take the measure to the chamber’s floor this month, offered concerns about infrastructure networks nationwide. As Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) put it, “For far too long, our nation’s crumbling infrastructure has held America back. With this bill’s major new investments in transportation, including transit and rail, more than 125,000 new housing vouchers, and the modernization of public housing, we have made a long overdue investment in the future of America’s working families.”
Under the bill, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration operational budget would receive a slight increase. Specifically, FMCSA’s funding proposal in the House bill would include $379.5 million for its operations budget, and $506.2 million for safety grants.

Additionally, the Federal Highway Administration would receive $61.9 billion for programs funded via the Highway Trust Fund account. The funding is meant to enhance safety and long-term viability of surface transportation operations, the bill’s sponsors explained.

The legislation also would provide $18.9 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration, which would be $896 million above the fiscal 2021 level. The Federal Railroad Administration would receive $4.1 billion, an increase of $1.3 billion above year 2021, and the Federal Transit Administration would receive $15.5 billion, an increase of $459 million above the fiscal 2021 level. Amtrak would receive $2.7 billion, $700 million more than the fiscal 2021 level.

See the complete article online at Transport Topics.