The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure advanced out of committee nearly $100 billion in aid as part of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
“By approving this legislation, our Committee is moving forward with providing much-needed relief to the millions of transportation workers and rural and urban communities alike that have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn,” Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) said. “With the plan that passed through our Committee on a bipartisan vote, Amtrak will be able to recall furloughed workers and restore service, transit workers will receive lifesaving personal protective equipment, and FEMA will receive critical funding to help get vaccines into the arms of Americans.”
The committee looked at transportation and infrastructure portions of the Fiscal Year 2021 budget reconciliation bills, including $50 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund that would reimburse state, local, tribal and territorial governments for COVID-19 response and recovery activities; $30 billion for Transit to help with operating costs; $8 billion to airports, including $800 million for airport concessionaires; $3 billion for aerospace manufacturing; and $1.5 billion for Amtrak to recall and pay furloughed employees through the end of the year and restore daily long-distance service.
Previously, the transit industry had asked for $39.3 billion to cover revenue shortfalls. Amtrak had previously asked for $1.5 billion, on top of the $2 billion it is allocated in the federal budget for operating expenses. Airlines previously asked for $15 billion to pay staff, while airports asked for $17 billion to use on debt service, as well as health, safety, and security projects.
Transportation and Infrastructure’s portion of the budget will now go to the House floor where it will join other budget requests, as approved by committees with jurisdiction over them.