Senate Transportation Appropriations Bill Moves Forward

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY 2017 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill by a vote of 30-0.  The bill provides $16.9 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and $39.2 billion for the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  

With the amount provided to transportation, $44 billion is provided from the Highway Trust Fund to spend on the Federal-aid Highways program, consistent with the FAST Act, $16.4 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $1.7 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and $12.3 billion for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is pushing to move as many appropriations bills to the Senate floor as quickly as possible.  Floor action on the THUD bill is expected in early May.