By Ron Thaniel
September 27, 2004

One week after animosity erupted amid House Transportation Authorizers and Appropriators in a public turf war, whereby each took turns striking $50 billion in provisions important to the other, the House passed September 22 a $39 billion fiscal 2005 Transportation'treasury spending bill missing key transportation programs.

At issue is a long running dispute dating to the passage of TEA-21 whereby appropriators saw the TEA-21 as an encroachment on their territory as it established firewalls requiring transportation programs to be funded at certain levels.

With TEA-21 not being reauthorized, appropriators deleted the entire $34.9 billion highway program, the $7.3 billion transit program and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Authorizers deleted provisions related to airport safety inspections and environmental rules. Amtrak funding, at $900 million, was deleted from the bill as well.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $90.6 billion Transportation'treasury Appropriations on September 14, including $34.9 billion for highways — an increase of $1.25 billion and $7.76 billion for transit — an increase of $492 million over FY04.

The Senate bill also continues Amtrak funding at close to FY04 funding levels at $1.217 billion without the $100 million loan deferral received in FY04. Highway safety funding receives a slight increase at $453 million. Aviation funding would be at $13.9 billion with reductions in operations, facilities, and equipment.

The programs stricken from the House bill will likely be restored when the two bills go to conference.