In plans for the FY 2020 budget, the House Appropriations Committee on Transportation and Housing has authorized a $146 million increase for passenger rail and $60 million for transit over the 2019 budget.
Subcommittee members authorized a major turnaround from the budget proposed by the Trump Administration, which the Rail Passengers Association (RPA) calls a win for passengers. The RPA pointed beyond the monetary gains, however, to positive add-ons like installation of an automatic trigger for disbursement of rail and grant funds, in cases of feet-dragging by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Funds so held under the transit grant program would be automatically given to projects in the engineering phase if those funds are not awarded to new projects by the end of 2021.
Beyond this, the proposal also would bar the USDOT from using appropriated funds to demand or lean on grant applicants to lower the federal project share below 50 percent. That addition was made after several transit agencies complained the federal government was forcing them to provide more local matching funds than legally required.
The House proposal would also hinder USDOT efforts to cancel previously approved grant agreements with the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The USDOT has previously indicated a desire to withdraw funds already given to the State of California, and that project has been a frequent point of attack by the president. The budget proposal does not prohibit any further federal funding on the project. It also bars the USDOT from redistributing any funds until a lawsuit between them and the State of California is solved.