(Source: Freight Waves, December 20, 2019)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is expected to avoid a replay of last year by signing off on a $1.4 trillion fiscal year 2020 spending package that averts a government shutdown had Congress failed to meet a Dec. 20 deadline. The massive funding measure — approved by the House of Representatives on Dec. 17 and by the Senate on Dec. 19 — includes $86.2 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), roughly the same amount allotted to the agency in 2019. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) received $2.8 billion, most of which went to maintain Amtrak. FRA’s funding also provides $255 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grants and $300 million for federal-state repair grants. Also, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration received $281 million to address safety concerns related to recent accidents involving rail shipments of crude oil.
Full story: Freight Waves