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BREAKING: Threat to transit funding in Senate compromise?

UPDATED: (8:30 p.m. 2/7/09) The Senate agreement reached last night has no changes for transit, highways, intermodal competitive grants, or high-speed rail. We recommend halting calls on the proposed cuts to transit. See this newer post for more updated information.

The so-called “compromise” plan about to be put forth by Senators Nelson and Collins would cut somewhere between $80-100 billion from the Senate stimulus package. How do they propose to get there?

In part, by cutting transit’s already paltry amount nearly in half, and raising the amount of highway spending by an undisclosed amount.

According to a Senate memo obtained by The Plum Line, there is a proposal to remove $3.4 billion from transit funding and raise the funds for highways above the $27 billion already earmarked for highway spending. If true, cutting $3.4 billion from public transportation (and increasing highway spending) would reduce the roads/transit split in this bill far below even the tepid 80/20 share that current federal spending reflects.

Tell your senator not to support any proposed change to the stimulus package that reduces funds for transit below those in the original Senate proposal, but rather to push for increasing the funds to meet the soaring demand for reliable, clean transportation. And tell them not to increase highway funding without increasing transit proportionally.

Call-in information removed in light of agreement reached in Senate.

For targeting purposes, the Senators reported to be in the room are Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mark Begich (D-AK), Tom Carper (D-DE), John Tester (D-MT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Jim Webb (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Udall (D-CO), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and George Voinovich (R-OH).

Leave us notes in the comments on your calls if you like.

Friday Senate stimulus update

UPDATE: Look for a list of amendments on the docket at the bottom.

Obviously, things are moving very fast in the Senate today. Here is a summary of a mix of rumor and fact as of 1 p.m. EST if you’d like to follow more closely:

The Inhofe amendment — to take unspent stimulus funds after one year and direct them to highways, water, and other infrastructure projects on lists submitted by states — was re-filed. But it was objected to by Finance Chair Baucus over a unanimous consent agreement. It’s not completely dead yet, as some outlets have claimed. It still could potentially resurface. Baucus has now asked all Senators to refrain from offering any more amendments.
Votes on amendments are scheduled to begin around 1 pm. (They’ve begun voting on amendments now.)
A bipartisan group of senators continues to work on an agreement to reduce spending levels by approximately $107 billion, according to C-SPAN. The $5.5 billion in competitive grants for transportation could be on the chopping block. The appropriators are working on recommendations from Collins/Nelson/McCain and others.
Majority Leader Sen. Reid will likely make the procedural call to end debate and move to a vote this evening. According to the New York Times, if the compromise on spending cuts have not been reached, he could move on Sunday, with the vote coming Monday.
All of this could change at any point. Check back here, or follow us on Twitter for more updated information.

According to the Senate Majority Leader’s calendar, the previously failed Murray/Feinstein amendment to raise infrastructure spending (roads and transit both) is still due to be considered today. Though Sen. Bond’s two amendments to move high speed rail and competitive grant money to highways are not listed on this calendar, they could still be alive however, so take action and write your Senator if you have not already.

1 p.m.: Voting has ended on first four amendments, none of which concerned transportation. General debate is underway now. After debate, “the Senate will consider the following amendments. They will be considered in rotating fashion going back and forth to each side.”

Conrad-Graham #501 (strikes funding/foreclosure prevention)
Dodd #145 (foreclosure mitigation);
Cantwell #274 (Energy), with a modification which is at the desk
Feingold #485 (Energy conservation);
Grassley #297 (FMAP);
Enzi #293(Health IT);
Vitter #107(ACORN);
Bunning #531 (Business Credits);
Wyden #468 (Bonuses); and
Thune #538 (Tax Rebate)

As you can see, there is no mention (YET) of the Murray/Feinstein, Bond, or Inhofe amendments. Infrastucturist passed on a quote from an Inhofe’s staffer about his $30 billion amendment: “Senator Inhofe intends to bring it up, and we think there may be a good opportunity to do so today.”

We’ll keep this updated through the afternoon as the bill progresses.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Schumer amendment in Senate could boost transit funding

Take Action! Write your Senator!

UPDATED: Sen. Schumer has the release posted on his web site now. Copy updated to reflect that below. Coverage of the Grand Central press conference today from Bloomberg News

Sen. Chuck Schumer and fellow New York Congressman Rep. Jerrold Nadler released a statement today detailing Sen. Schumer’s amendment to increase funding for transit in that chamber’s version of the economic recovery package. (Rep. Nadler authored the amendment that passed the House last week.)

Sen. Schumer’s amendment would boost transit funding from $8.4 billion up to $14.9 billion, with additions to the vital program (New Starts) that would provide funding for new, ready-to-go transit projects across the country. Currently, the House version has $2.5 billion for New Starts, where the Senate version has zero. This amendment would correct this imbalance, while also boosting the overall amount for transit.

You can read the full release here. An excerpt:

“Last week, we scored a major victory in Washington, as the House of Representatives approved my amendment to increase transit funds in the stimulus bill by $3 billion, bringing the total amount of transit dollars in the package from 9 billion to 12 billion. This additional funding would mean hundreds of millions more in transit money for New York, creating thousands of local jobs, protecting our environment through green projects, and improving public transportation across the region. These funds would go a tremendous distance toward stemming the advance of our deepening economic recession. And now, with the support of Senator Schumer in the Senate, we have taken one great step closer to realizing this essential goal.”

Schumer’s amendment would boost funding in the Senate version of the stimulus package by $6.5 billion, from $8.4 billion currently in the bill to $14.9 billion. Specifically, Schumer’s amendment would increase funding in the transit capital pot from $8.4 billion to 10.4 billion, add $2 billion for rail modifications, and $2.5 billion for New Starts. The last two funding increases would match funding in the House bill.

Contact your Senator today to send a message. Tell them to support increased transit funding — and Sen. Schumer’s amendment — in the Senate package.

Let them know that this is exactly the kind of spending you want to see in the stimulus package — spending that can boost the economy while investing in long-lasting infrastructure that will help us meet our national goals of improved infrastructure, less oil dependence, and lower emissions.

You can check back here or with Streetsblog NYC for more breaking news on the Schumer amendment and transit funding in the Senate bill.

Poll Finds Americans Favor Smarter Transportation Spending in Stimulus Bill


	Download this Release (.pdf)
	Contact: David Goldberg, 202/412-7930 david.goldberg@T4america.org

WASHINGTON – Eighty percent of Americans want transportation and other infrastructure spending included in the economic stimulus bill to target projects that achieve multiple goals and create new jobs, according to a survey sponsored by the National Association of Realtors® and Transportation for America.

The 2009 Growth and Transportation Survey describes what Americans think about how development affects their immediate community. An overwhelming 80 percent believe it’s more important that a stimulus plan include efforts to repair existing highways and build public transit rather than build new highways. Forty-five percent of those polled said construction of new highways should “definitely” or “probably” not be included in the plan.

“Realtors® build communities and believe smarter transportation and infrastructure development will help create more livable and vibrant neighborhoods,” said NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth.

The survey shows that Americans want Congress and the incoming administration to factor plans for reducing dependence on foreign oil, improving the environment, and increasing transportation choices into the stimulus package currently in development, even if it temporarily delays job creation.

Americans are also very interested in energy conservation. Eighty-nine percent agreed that transportation investments should support the goals of reducing energy use, with 58 percent agreeing strongly. Three in four of those polled also want the stimulus plan to support the reduction of carbon emissions that lead to global warming and climate change.

The 2009 Growth and Transportation Survey was conducted by Hart Research Associates, January 5-7. Hart Research Associates telephoned 1,005 adults living in the U.S. The study has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Transportation for America is a broad coalition of housing, environmental, public health, urban planning, transportation and other organizations, seeking to align national, state, and local transportation policies with an array of issues like economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing and community development. NAR is a member of Transportation For America.

The National Association of Realtors® “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

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Are we building new roads to crumbling bridges?

Would you like to avoid another one of these? Tell Congress

When Minnesota’s I-35W bridge collapsed in 2007, many Americans were shocked to learn that thousands of bridges across the country were rated “structurally deficient.” The last major survey in 2007 found that more than 72,000 bridges were structurally deficient — or about 12.1% of all our nation’s bridges.

With billions of dollars about to be spent on an economic recovery package, you’d think Congress would prioritize fixing dangerous bridges and repairing unsafe highways — as well as investing in ready-to-go transit or rail projects that can help meet our pressing national goals of reducing oil dependence and lowering dangerous emissions.

But the powerful highway lobby is pressing hard for nearly all the money to be spent constructing new roads and bridges. This makes no sense.

Urge Congress to fix what’s broken before committing billions to expanding roads and highways.

Sign this petition to show Congress your support for fixing and maintaining the network we have with the stimulus rather than throwing our money into new highway capacity and 1950’s-style highway projects.

Before we add capacity to a highway system that is already too big to maintain in good condition, we should focus on life-saving maintenance and repair projects.

These are the projects that can get going now in communities large and small, creating millions of jobs, while making roads safer and preventing another tragic bridge collapse.

Congress simply can’t afford to write a blank check for new roads — and Americans can’t afford to have billions thrown away on projects we don’t need.

We need smart transportation spending that’s responsive to taxpayers, not the highway lobby. A fix-it-first transportation agenda is the solution we need to help create jobs in the short term, protect jobs in the long term, and help reduce our dangerous dependency on foreign oil.

Crumbling Bridges