Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, voted against a spending bill today that severely underfunds investments in critical transportation infrastructure. The House passed the FY2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill by a vote of 229-192.

“Tonight the House passed a bill that does not go far enough to invest in our country’s roads, bridges, highways and transit.

“This bill falls short in keeping safe communities near rail lines carrying crude oil. The $12 million for the Federal Railroad Administration is a start but it is not enough. Congress can and should invest more to ensure communities are safe. Crude oil train derailments across the continent in recent weeks and months underscore the pressing urgency of making sure our railways are well maintained, our first responders are trained, and safety standards are clear and strong.

“I am also disappointed this bill does not fund upgrades to bridges. We need to maintain our bridges until they are old, and then we need to replace them, like I have called for in my SAFE Bridges Act.

“The bill also makes shortsighted cuts to passenger rail, an essential part of our country’s transportation system. And it cuts opportunities for communities to fund new transportation projects through TIGER grants while ignoring the small and mid-sized cities my TIGER CUBS bill would support.

“On the housing side, I am pleased the bill fully funds support for veterans facing homelessness. We owe it to the women and men who have served our country to have access to affordable housing assistance,” Larsen said.

Provisions of note from the bill are below.

Transportation

- Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grants funded at $100 million, which is $500 million less than FY 2014 and $1.15 billion less than the president’s request.

- Federal Aviation Administration funded at $15.7 billion.

- Amtrak funding cut by $200 million, to $1.2 billion.

Rail Safety

- $12 million for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to hire additional staff to monitor safe transportation of energy products like crude oil and to make safety upgrades at rail crossings.

- Funding for the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s hazardous materials account: $52 million. Investment will support the agency’s existing hazardous materials safety program and fund additional research, training and outreach related to safe transportation of oil and gas.

- Funding for FRA safety and operations: $185 million.

Housing

- Full funding for the Veterans’ Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program: $75 million. The HUD-VASH program provides housing and supportive services for homeless and struggling veterans. This funding has gone to veterans in Snohomish and Skagit counties in recent years.

- The HOME Investment Partnership is cut by 30 percent, to $700 million. The program provides state and local governments grants for programs that meet local needs to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing to low- and very low-income families. This funding has supported affordable housing in Whatcom County in recent years.

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