The House Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies Subcommittee approved its proposed FY 2005 transportation appropriations bill. The measure would increase core federal highway program investment to $34.6 billion--$1 billion above the FY 2004 level and the FY 2005 highway investment proposed by the Bush Administration. The $34.6 billion is identical to the FY 2005 highway funding level included in the House-passed TEA-21 reauthorization bill.
The measure would provide $7.249 billion in total transit investment--$17 million below the FY 2004 level. The bill would also invest $3.5 billion for the Airport Improvement Program--$100 million more than the FY 2004 level and the amount called for in the Vision 100 aviation reauthorization bill.
Members also approved an amendment by Transportation, Treasury Subcommittee Chairman Ernest Istook (R-Okla.) to reduce the measure's core highway program investment from the initial proposal of $35.7 billion to $34.6 billion. Istook explained the amendment was necessary for budgetary "scoring" purposes.
