Transportation For America Comparing transportation spending in the Senate and House stimulus

Comparing transportation spending in the Senate and House stimulus

10 Feb 2009 | Posted by Steve Davis | 0 Comments | congress, economic recovery, House, senate, stimulus

With the stimulus successfully passed through the Senate, it moves into conference with the House, where the two chambers will try to hammer out the version to be voted on again by each house before heading to the President’s desk if it passes.

Here is our side-by-side comparison on the transportation spending in the two versions. For the non-policy wonks out there, you’ll want to stick to the numbers at the top before it descends into the particulars of the second half of the table.

Check back here later Tuesday or Wednesday morning for our complete list of what we’re asking Congress to do in conference. (For example, keep the House’s $12 billion for transit.)

You’ll need to click through to see the full table if you’re on the main blog page.

	Senate Bill	House Bill
Transportation Funding	$45,360,000,000	$46,100,000,000
Total Transit Funding	$8,400,000,000	$12,000,000,000
	Urbanized Area Formula Grants (5307) – $5.96 billion (71%) Rural Area Formula Grants (5311) – $840 million (10%) Growing States and High Density Formula Grants (5340) – $1.6 billion (19%)	Urbanized Area Formula Grants (5307) – $6.75 billion Rural Area Formula Grants (5311) – $750 million Fixed Guideway Modernization (Rail Mod) – $2 billion Capital Investment Grants (New Starts) – $2.5 billion
Total Intercity and High Speed Rail Funding	$3,100,000,000	$1,100,000,000
	Amtrak – $850 million Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program – $250 million High Speed Rail Corridor Investments – $2 billion	Amtrak – $800 million Intercity Passenger Rail Program – $300 million (Priority given to High Speed Rail projects)
Highways & Bridge Projects	$27,060,000,000	$30,000,000,000
	Federal Aid Highway Program – $26.5 billion Indian Reservation Roads program – $320 million Park Roads and Parkways program – $100 million Forest Highway Program – $70 million Refuge Roads program – $10 million There is flexibility to fund passenger and freight rail, and port projects	Federal Aid Highway Program – $29.41 billion Indian Reservation Roads – $300 million Park Roads & Parkways – $250 million Highway surface transportation & technology training – $20 million Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Bonding Assistance – $20 million
Supplemental Discretionary Grants for a National Transportation System Program (Multi-Modal)	$5,500,000,000	No Provision
Aviation	$1.3 billion	$3 billion

Funding Distribution
Funding Distribution	States must obligate half of their apportionment within 180-days or the difference between the obligated amount and 50% of the amount remaining is given other states by the DOT. After one year, all unobligated funds are taken from states and sent to the Competitive Grant Program. DOT can allow one year extensions. Funds allocated to urban areas are exempt from the 180 day requirement. Half of the funding for both highways and transit must to be obligated within 180 days and half within one year.	States must obligate half of their apportionment within 120-days or the difference between the obligated amount and 50% of the amount remaining is redistributed to other states by the DOT. Money suballocated to MPOs must obligate at least 50% of its allocations within 90 days of allocation or the money is redistributed. Priority given to projects located in areas that have lower per capita income and higher unemployment rates than the national average, as well as projects included in an approved Statewide Transportation Improvements Program (STIP) and/or Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that are projected for completion within a three-year time frame.
Accountability Measures	No provision	All bids & projects must be posted on a special website and include a description, purpose, and justification for each project. A Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board will be created to review management of recovery dollars. The seven-member board includes Inspectors General and Deputy Cabinet secretaries.
Funding for Metro Governments (in addition to states)	100% of highway funding allocated through the Surface Transportation Program, 40% of which is suballocated to local areas.	55% of highway funding provided to State DOTs directly, 45% is allocated through the Surface Transportation Program, of which 62.5% is suballocated to local areas.
Bike and Pedestrian Programs	No specific provision for Transportation Enhancements. 5% of funds provided to each state will be spent on Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program eligible projects	No specific provision for funding Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program eligible projects. Transportation Enhancements receive 10 percent of the sub-allocated STP funding, approximately $1.3 billion.