By Joanna Anderson

A Senate Appropriations panel advanced a fiscal 2013 spending measure Tuesday that would maintain the status quo on highway and transit programs, until lawmakers reach a deal on a surface transportation renewal.

The draft measure would provide $53.4 billion in discretionary funds for the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) departments and related agencies, a drop of nearly $4 billion from the fiscal 2012 enacted level. Including obligation limits from the Highway Trust Fund, the bill would provide a total of $105.5 billion.

The Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee approved the proposal in a 15-1 vote.

“Until a compromise is reached on surface transportation reauthorization, the bill preserves the highway and transit programs at current levels,” said Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash.

The legislation would maintain the 2012-enacted levels of $39.1 billion for the federal aid highway program, and $3.4 billion for capital investments at airports.

It also includes the Obama administration’s request for $500 million for the TIGER grant program, which supports a variety of transportation and infrastructure project grants. Of those funds, $120 million would be reserved for projects in rural communities. The TIGER program also received $500 million last year.

Under the bill, rail infrastructure funding would get a $126 million boost over the fiscal 2012 level. The fiscal 2013 bill includes $1.8 billion, including $1.5 billion for Amtrak.

The measure also would provide $150 million for grants to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for capital investments. It calls on the transit agency to prioritize projects aimed at improving safety.

Maryland Democrat Barbara A. Mikulski praised the WMATA language, saying it is consistent with recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board after the fatal June 2009 crash along the Washington, D.C., transit system’s Red Line.

FAA Funding

Also included in the bill is $956 million for the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) NextGen program to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system, $21 million more than was enacted in fiscal 2012. The bill also would provide $1 billion to support the FAA’s aviation inspector workforce.

For housing programs, the bill would provide a $482 million increase over last year to $19.4 billion for Section 8 tenant-based rental assistance, including $75 million for 10,000 new vouchers for homeless veterans under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

On Tuesday, subcommittee ranking Republican Susan Collins of Maine touted the success of the HUD-VASH program, noting a decline in recent years in the number of homeless veterans.

The bill also includes $9.8 billion for the project-based Section 8 program, $536 million above the 2012 enacted level.

In addition, the legislation calls for $3.1 billion for HUD’s community development block grants funding, $152 million more than in fiscal 2012.

Murray said that the boost would partially restore previous cuts to the grant program.

The lone “no” vote Tuesday came from Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson, who also forced the panel to take a roll call vote on the measure. Such bills are customarily approved by voice votes at the subcommittee level.

Johnson, a fiscal conservative, did the same thing at the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee, which also approved its fiscal 2013 spending bill Tuesday.

The full Senate Appropriations Committee will take up both bills on Thursday.

Subcommittee Votes

Draft Bill 

Fiscal 2013 Transportation-HUD Appropriations/Vote to Approve

Provide $53.4 billion in fiscal 2013 discretionary funds for the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) departments and related agencies.

Including obligation limits from the Highway Trust Fund, the bill would provide a total of $105.5 billion.

The bill would provide $39.1 billion for the federal aid highway program, $3.4 billion for capital investments at airports, and $500 million for the TIGER grant program, which supports a variety of transportation and infrastructure project grants. Of the TIGER grant funds, $120 million would be reserved for projects in rural communities.

Rail infrastructure funding would get $1.8 billion, including $1.5 billion for Amtrak.

The measure also would provide $150 million for grants to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for capital investments. It also would require the transit agency to prioritize projects aimed at improving safety.

Also included in the bill is $956 million for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s NextGen program to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system, along with $1 billion to support the FAA’s aviation inspector workforce.

For housing programs, the bill would provide $19.4 billion for Section-8 tenant-based rental assistance, including $75 million for 10,000 new vouchers for homeless veterans under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

The bill also includes $9.8 billion for the project-based Section-8 program, $536 million above the 2012 enacted level, including more than $9.6 billion for the renewal of all project-based contracts for 12 months.

In addition, the legislation calls for $3.1 billion for HUD’s community development block grants funding.

Other Funding Levels

The bill also would provide the following:

• • $2 billion for the transit New Starts program to support new or expanded public transportation services.
• • $809 million for vehicle- and driver-safety programs.
• • $195 million to support pipeline- and hazardous materials-safety programs.
• • $2 billion for the public housing capital fund and $4.6 billion for the public housing operating fund.
• • $2.2 billion for homeless assistance grants.
• • $650 million for Native American housing block grants.
• • $1 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership program, which supports the creation and rehabilitation of low-income housing.
• • $135 million for housing counseling efforts.
• • $50 million within HUD’s Community Development Fund for the Sustainable Communities Initiative to promote integrated housing and transportation planning.
• • $120 million for HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative to expand the HOPE VI program.

Approved for full committee consideration 15-1: R 5-1; D 10-0; I 0-0; April 17, 2012.

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