House allots $8.975B for FY '07 transit funding

As part of a continuing resolution that swept through on Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives appropriated $8.975 billion for FY 2007 transit funding. Despite concerns that Congress would fund transportation programs at FY 2006 levels, the amount is the proper level of funding for public transportation authorized under SAFTEA-LU. If Congress did go through with its plan to fund transportation at FY 2006 levels, investment in the federal transit program would have fallen $470 million short of the levels authorized and guaranteed under SAFETEA-LU and federal highway funding would have dropped $3.4 billion.