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Amendment potentially adds funding back for transit for HR7

Discussions continue on Capitol Hill on funding for the transportation bill.  Today, the Senate Transportation bill is up for a vote.   In addition this week, Congressman Nadler (D-NY), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, offered a bipartisan amendment designed to restore transit funding to H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.  As H.R. 7 is currently drafted, the 30-year-old dedicated funding stream for mass transit is eliminated.

The amendment is co-sponsored by Reps. Steven LaTourette (R-OH), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Chris Gibson (R-NY), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Bob Turner (R-NY), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Michael Grimm (R-NY), John Lewis (D-GA), Michael Fitzpatrick (R- PA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Nan Hayworth (R-NY), and would restore the dedicated guaranteed funding stream for public transportation programs.  This amendment would also restore the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund and its 2.86 cent funding mechanism.  Currently, 2.86 cents of the 18.4 cents fuel tax is directed to mass transit.  Under the proposed H.R. 7, there is a diversion of the 2.86 cents  to highways.  The amendment replaces the 2.86 cents funding mechanism for the Mass Transit Fund of the Highway Trust Fund.  In addition, it redirects the $40 billion appropriation in H.R. 7 to the Highway Trust Fund to ensure that there is sufficient funding for both highways and transit. 

The House Bill will be taken up again after the recess next week.  Please consider contacting your Congressman or Congresswoman this week while they are on break and let them know the importance of funding for transit. 

For more information on the Nadler Amendment: http://nadler.house.gov/press-release/nadler-introduces-bipartisan-amendment-restore-transit-funding-house-surface


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