July 1, 2019 – The House of Representatives last week passed a major spending package, HR3055, containing $87.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations for Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (THUD). This “minibus” package – composed of four other appropriations bills in addition to THUD – was the second of three packages considered by the House for FY 2020, and passed the chamber by a vote of 227-194. The Senate has not yet started its appropriations, awaiting a bipartisan budget agreement between the White House and Congress on the overall spending cap for next year.
The House THUD package includes full funding for Highway Trust Fund programs including $46.4 billion for Federal-aid Highways; $10.9 billion for transit formula programs; $677 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; and $778 million for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In addition, $3.4 billion is provided for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
The funding bill also included General Fund supplements for core transportation programs: $1.75 billion for Federal-aid Highways; $750 million for transit formula programs; and $500 million for the Airport Improvement Program. Discretionary appropriations included $2 billion for Amtrak; $2.3 billion for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investments Grants (including New Starts); and $1 billion for U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD discretionary grants.