(The following story by Amy Doolittle appeared on the Federal Times website on June 11.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Funding for Amtrak and several federal housing grants would remain intact as part of a proposed fiscal 2008 spending bill, despite a request from President Bush to cut funding for the programs.
The bill was approved unanimously without amendment today by the House Appropriations subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and related agencies.
Money for the programs is part of $50.7 billion in discretionary funds for agencies including the Transportation Department, Housing and Urban Development Department, National Transportation and Safety Board and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority — $2.8 billion more than the president requested and a 7 percent increase over fiscal 2007’s spending level.
“The subcommittee was forced to flat-fund or cut numerous programs,” said Rep. John Olver, D-Mass. “However, we have restored the president’s deepest cuts and were able to continue some important investments in housing and transportation.”
The president’s request included significant cuts to Amtrak subsidies. The bill as passed by the subcommittee includes $1.4 billion for the agency — the president requested $800 million.
Also included in the committee’s mark is funding to renew all current Section 8 housing vouchers, the Community Development Block Grant and the HOPE VI program — all of which the president’s request significantly cut or zeroed out.
Olver said the bill includes slight staffing increases to air traffic control personnel and airport safety engineers and inspectors but also includes slight staffing cuts within multiple agencies and programs.
Exactly which agencies will experience those cuts will not be known until the text of the bill is released. It will be available for review at the full committee’s markup next week.
The bill also contains $3.6 billion for the airport improvement program for upgrades at airports across the country, $850 million more than the president’s request; and $40.2 billion for highways, $600 million for than requested.