APTA calls on Congress to make good on appropriations

The American Public Transportation Association sent a letter to lawmakers calling for a full appropriation of $42.5 billion in rail funding promised by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation.  

Per the letter, “These historic investments in public transportation will help communities of all sizes flourish, connecting workers to jobs, students to school, and people to healthcare,” said APTA president and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas.

The letter is addressed to Rep. Steve Womack R-Ark., and Rep. Mike Quigley D-Ill., along with Sens. Brian Schatz D-Hawaii., and Cindy Hyde-Smith R-Miss., all key figures in committees handling appropriations.

The timing for poking a distracted Congress is predicated on perceived movement. “Both the House and Senate THUD (Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development) Appropriations Subcommittees are developing their bills,”  said Skoutelas. “APTA sent this letter to urge THUD subcommittee leaders to honor the promise of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation and fully fund public transit and passenger rail.”  

The letter calls for at least $21.9 billion for public transit and $20.6 billion for passenger and freight rail in fiscal year 2025.

THUD on the House side is currently helmed by belt-tightening Republicans. They signaled the Committee’s position on spending in an op-ed published on May 22.

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann R- Tenn., who serves on the Appropriations Committee wrote, “There is no doubt that we are in tight fiscal times. Record borrowing and spending from Biden and D.C. Democrats between 2021 and 2023 drove inflation and caused economic stagnation.”

“As we begin the fiscal year 2025 budget process, my conservative appropriations colleagues and I remain committed to further slashing wasteful and unnecessary spending while meeting America’s infrastructure needs.” 

The APTA letter urges support for $4.6 billion for the Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grants, a discretionary grant program flowing through the Department of Transportation. According to APTA, 65 projects are currently chasing almost $42 billion in funding. 

Other programs on the to-do list for funding include Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, and Railroad Crossing Elimination Grants.

In addition, APTA is urging Congress to provide the fully authorized amount of $3 billion for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Grants. 

APTA would also like to see an end to the Rostenkowski Test, a financial mechanism that measures outstanding financial commitments of the Highway Trust Fund against estimated income per year. 

Wrestling with the shortcoming of the Trust Fund is an expanding challenge that’s also being addressed by states facing a drop in formula funding and forcing a variety of surcharge programs onto EV and hybrid vehicles. 

The notion of public transit agencies acquiring land prior to getting Environmental Protection Agency approval is also a priority, as is getting clarification on regulations governing funding on low or no emission bus-related projects. 

The tug of war over infrastructure funding extends to a renewed effort to reauthorize the bipartisan infrastructure law, a push being championed by Rep. Rick Larsen D- Wash., the ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  

Larsen made his views on the matter clear in April during a speech at an APTA conference in April and at an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials conference in February, in which Larsen stressed the need to “start working on” the next bill.