Delaney Votes Against House Bill to Cut Transportation Funding

WASHINGTON – Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed legislation that included cuts to numerous infrastructure programs, including Metro and Amtrak. Congressman John K. Delaney (MD-6) voted against the bill. During floor debate, Delaney also offered an amendment, the Democratic Motion to Recommit, to give Amtrak additional funding to implement additional Positive Train Control (PTC) coverage. Last week, the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board testified to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that PTC technology would have prevented the Amtrak derailment on May 12 that killed eight people.

“We should be upgrading and expanding America’s infrastructure, but this appropriations bill directs federal policy to make a U-turn, cutting federal support for infrastructure,” said Congressman Delaney. “My constituents deserve safe rides on Metro, safe rides on Amtrak and safe commutes on area roads and bridges and I am tremendously concerned about the impact that these cuts will have. This is not only a potentially damaging decision to slash funding, it is also a real missed opportunity. Smart infrastructure investment creates jobs, grows our economy and improves quality of life. I believe that there is bipartisan support for a new infrastructure solution that uses international corporate tax reform to pay for the new projects we need and despite this vote I will continue to work with colleagues in both parties to rebuild America.”

The fiscal year 2016 appropriations bill for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development reduces federal support for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by $50 million, a 33% cut; reduces federal funding for Amtrak by $251 million, and slashes TIGER Grant infrastructure funding by $400 million, an 80% cut. The legislation (H.R. 2577) also includes cuts to the Housing for the Elderly program and the Public Housing Capital Fund.

Delaney is the author of the Infrastructure 2.0 Act which provides for new infrastructure investment with revenues currently trapped overseas.  Delaney’s legislation creates a new $50 billion dollar infrastructure fund to finance up to $750 billion in new state and local infrastructure projects. The legislation also provides funding for six years of Highway Trust Fund solvency.

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