Washington Beat: MTA Leader Concerned As House Republicans Stall $260B Transportation Bill
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The future of federal mass-transit funding remains in limbo as Republicans in the House of Representatives try to move forward with a transportation bill that is getting becoming increasingly unpopular. NY1's Washington reporter Erin Billups filed the following report.Unable to garner the needed votes, the House’s Republican leadership delayed consideration of a $260 billion transportation bill last week, promising to address some of the nearly 300 amendments submitted by members on both sides of the aisle, including several from New York's congressional delegation.
"I think that the drafters go back to the drawing board and they recognize that we have some issues that we can't just overlook," said Staten Island-Brooklyn Representative Michael Grimm.
Highways, roads, bridges and mass transit have been partially funded for 30 years through the U.S. Highway Trust Fund, which has been financed through the gas tax.
The House bill removes mass transit from that fund, and a spokesman says it refocuses the original purpose of the trust fund — maintaining the highways.
During a call with transit officials from across the country, Metropolitan Transportation Authortiy Chairman Joseph Lhota said without dedicated funding his agency is in serious trouble.
"That billion dollars in funding is used to buy rail stock and switching and signaling equipment, critical to maintaining our system in a state of good repair," said Lhota.
House Republicans right now are trying to find $40 billion to fund mass transit for the next five years, but so far are falling short.
"It doesn't look like in this era, public transit will get as much money from the general fund as it's gotten from the Highway Trust Fund," said Urban Institute Infrastructure Initiative Director Sandra Rosenbloom.
A spokesman for the House’s transportation committee says at this point they still plan to move forward with the bill, though they are considering some revisions.
Meanwhile, Democrats are doubtful Republicans are taking their concerns into account.
"We are not, in New York, going to be satisfied and think that our needs are taken care of. The Republicans who have the majority, they have shown no desire to work in a bipartisan basis," said Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel of the Bronx.
The transportation bill may be brought up for consideration when lawmakers return to Washington next week.