Issue

Senate Bill

(passed Senate 2/10/09)

House Bill

(passed House 1/28/09)

$45,470,000,000

$46,120,000,000

$8,400,000,000

$12,000,000,000

Rural Area Formula Grants (5311) – $840 million (10%)

Growing States and High Density Formula Grants (5340) – $1.6 billion (19%)

Rural Area Formula Grants (5311) – $750 million

Fixed Guideway Modernization (Rail Mod) – $2 billion

Capital Investment Grants (New Starts) – $2.5 billion

$27,060,000

$30,000,000

(Suballocation)

• Funds distributed through STP program
• 40% of funds will be suballocated to urbanized areas, and are eligible for transit
• 5% of funds reserved for CMAQ, and eligible for transit
• $60 million for waterborne transit-

• Funds distributed through STP program
• 45% of funds will be suballocated to urbanized areas, and are eligible for transit

$3,100,000,000

$1,100,000,000

Intercity Passenger Rail Grant

Program – $250 million

High Speed Rail Corridor Investments – $2 billion

Intercity Passenger Rail Program* – $300 million

(Priority given to High Speed Rail projects)

(Multi-Modal)

$5,500,000,000

No Provision

• Urbanized Area Formula Grants (5307)  –  $5.96 billion
• Rural Area Formula Grants (5311) – $840 million
• Growing States and High Density Formula Grants (5340) – $1.6 billion
• $200,000,000 Set aside for discretionary grants to “to public transportation agencies for capital investments to reduce energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions;
• Small Transit Intensive Cities formula not used in 5307 apportionments
• 50% of funds must be obligated within 180 days;
• Remaining 50% must be obligated within 1 year;
• “Use it or lose it provision” –  First 50% of funds not obligated within 180days redistributed to recipients who have successfully obligated their apportionment; second 50% not obligated within 1 year redistributed to “Supplemental Discretionary Grants for a National Transportation System Program”
• 100% federal share
• funds shall be apportioned by FTA “as soon as possible”

• Urbanized Area Formula Grants (5307) – $6.75 billion
• Rural Area Formula Grants (5311) – $750 million
• Growing States and High Density Formula Grants (5340) – $0
• Small Transit Intensive Cities formula not used in 5307 apportionments
• 50% of funds must be obligated within 90 days; remaining 50% must be obligated within 2 years
• “Use it or lose it provision” – DOT shall redistribute funds not obligated within the specified time periods to other recipients eligible under the programs to use in a “timely manner”
• 100% federal share
• FTA required to apportion funds within 7 days of enactment

• $2 billion provided
• 50% of funds must be obligated within 90 days; remaining 50% must be obligated within 2 years
• “Use it or lose it provision” – DOT shall redistribute funds not obligated within the specified time periods to other recipients eligible under the programs to use in a “timely manner”
• 100% federal share
• FTA required to apportion funds within 7 days of enactment;

(New Starts Program)

• $2.5 billion provided
• discretionary grants competitively awarded by DOT
• priority shall be given to projects that are currently in construction or are able to award contracts based on bids
  within 90 days of enactment (FFGAs)
• 50% of funds must be spent (contracts or binding commitments) by grantee within 90 days of award or be redistributed by DOT
• current matching requirements remain

• $5.5 billion provided for discretionary grants to states and local governments for the following eligible projects:Highway and bridge projects, including interstate rehabilitation,     improvements to rural collector road system, reconstruction of overpasses and interchanges, bridge replacements, and seismic retrofit projects for bridges and road realignments;Public transportation projects including New Starts and Small Starts projects;Passenger and freight rail improvements and port infrastructure improvements.
• Grants range from $20,000,000 to $500,000,000;
• 100% federal share;
• projects must be completed within 3 years
• funds must be distributed equitably among geographic regions and urban and rural areas
• -Secretary must issue grant criteria within 75 days of enactment;-applications must be submitted within 180 days of enactment;
• -projects must be awarded within 1 year of enactment;

• $850 million for Amtrak Capital Improvements

• $800 million for Amtrak Capital Improvements

• $250 million for Intercity Passenger Rail grants
• funds distributed under the Sec. 24401 Intercity Passenger Rail Grant program
• 100% federal share
• projects must be in STIP at time of application
• priority given to projects that can be completed within 2 years and increase safety and reliability of intercity passenger trains.

• $300 million for Intercity Passenger Rail grants;
• funds distributed under the Sec. 24401 Intercity Passenger Rail Grant program;
• preference given to projects that can be awarded within 180 days of enactment;
• preference given to FTRA compliant rolling stock;
• preference given to projects that promote High Speed Rail

• $2 billion provided for discretionary grants for capital projects in designated high speed rail corridors;
• grants distributed under the High Speed Rail program (Sec. 26106)
• grants must be awarded by September 30, 2011
• 100% federal share

• $60 million in grants under the FHWA’s Ferry Boat Discretionary Program; competitive discretionary grants to be distributed to states for the construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities.
• priority given to projects that can be completed within 2 years;
• $100 million provided for grants for “assistance to small shipyards,” through the Maritime Administration for capital improvements to small shipyards to improve productivity of nation’s shipbuilding industry

• Increases monthly pre-tax commuter transit and vanpool benefits to the same level as provided for pre-tax parking benefits, up from $120 to $230 per month.
• Provision effectiveness to coincide with enactment.
• Sunsets December 31, 2010.

• Current provision states a project is eligible for tax-exempt bonds only if a project is reasonably expected to operate at a speed in excess of 150 mph.
• Chairman’s Modifications alters language to allow projects to be eligible for tax-exempt bonds if a project is reasonably expected to attain a top speed of 150 mph.
• Only bonds issued after enactment are eligible.
• No sunset provision.

• $100,000,000 for Public Transportation Security Assistance, Railroad Security Assistance and Amtrak Security Updates;
• Funds available until 9/30/2010

• $3.5 billion provided for state and local governments to implement transit eligible energy efficiency and conservation programs

• $4.2 billion provided for state and local governments to implement transit eligible energy efficiency and conservation programs
• $2.1 billion to be distributed via formula, remaining $2.1 billion to be awarded via discretionary grant program