Dec. 12, 2014 – The House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill to fund the government through September, and the Senate is expected to pass one within days. Critical to infrastructure advocates is, the new bill earmarks $71 billion for 
transportation programs, including $40.3 billion in highway funding for states, same as its 2014 level. That is also the 2015 level set in MAP-21. Aid to Amtrak would be maintained at $1.4 billion. The legislation also includes $8.6 billion in state and local transit grants from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund and $500 million for TIGER grants. NSSGA commented: “[We] appreciate that Congress will not shut down the government. However, we support a return to regular order and Congress thoughtfully considering the individual appropriations bills, as well as addressing the pressing priority of assuring a sustainable and stable funding source for our nation’s surface transportation network.”
Funding Bill Stays Status Quo on Transportation
