The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has posted its annual apportionments online in 19 detailed tables.
The FTA apportionments distribute $13.4 billion for public transportation in fiscal year 2018 pursuant to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141, Division L). The funding includes formula and competitive funding for FTA grant recipients.
Today, President Donald Trump proposed to rescind $15.4 billion from 38 prior-year appropriations, including $100 million of prior-year public transit formula grants and intercity passenger rail competitive grants. The President also proposes to rescind $179 million of prior-year highway funding. Rescissions are cuts to Federal funding. Therefore, pursuant to the request, the President proposes to cut $279 million of prior-year surface transportation funding.
APTA recommends that, instead of rescinding funds for public transportation and intercity passenger rail, these funds should be used to address the current $90 billion state-of-good-repair backlog for bus and rail systems.
The rescissions include the following public transit and intercity passenger rail budget accounts:
Federal Transit Administration:
Formula Grants
$46,560,000 (Rescission proposal no. R18-32)
This proposal rescinds $47 million in FTA formula funds provided in FY 2005 and prior years.
Federal Railroad Administration:
Capital Assistance for High Speed Rail Corridors
and Intercity Passenger Rail Service
$53,404,128 (Rescission proposal no. R18-31)This proposal rescinds $53 million in FY 2010 funding, including $47 million for the Chicago to Iowa City intercity passenger rail project.
In addition, the President proposes to rescind $179 million of prior-year Federal Highway Administration funding, including prior-year earmarked highway projects (Rescission proposal nos. R18-28 and R18-30) and Appalachian Development Highway System funding (Rescission proposal no. R18-29).
Finally, President Trump is reported to be developing a subsequent rescission request that will include rescissions from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141), which could include additional proposed rescissions to the Transportation Appropriations Act.
Attached is a link to the specific proposed rescissions to FTA Formula Grants and FRA Intercity Passenger Rail Grants (images.magnetmail.net/images/clients/APTA/attach/WH_LTR_Presidents_FTA_and_FRA_Rescission_Request_05_08_2018.pdf).
