The T-HUD appropriations was part of a five-bill package that passed Tuesday by a 227-to-194 vote.
The House of Representatives passed Tuesday by a 227-to-194 vote a package of fiscal year 2020 appropriation bills consisting of five bills that fund federal departments — including Transportation, Housing and Urban Development — from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2020.
“This year’s transportation and housing funding bill, included in H.R. 3055, will benefit all American communities — urban and rural — and lay the foundation for economic growth and opportunity,” said House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Chairman David Price, D-N.C.
The $383.3 billion package includes $137.1 billion in budgetary resources for T-HUD, including $75.8 billion in discretionary funding, according to the bill summary.
The bill provides the Department of Transportation with $86.6 billion in total budgetary resources, including $10 billion to start a new Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence and $1 billion for national infrastructure investments.
Lawmakers appropriated $48.9 billion to the Federal Highway Administration, including $1.75 billion for discretionary highway infrastructure programs; $3 billion to the Federal Railroad Administration, including $350 million for consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements; $1.1 billion to the Maritime Administration, including $225 million for the port infrastructure development program; and $667 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, among funding for other departments.
The bill also includes policy provisions the prohibits the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from finalizing a rule that would roll back fuel economy standards and a provision that “prohibits future attacks on state meal and rest break laws,” according to the summary.
A number of amendments were adopted by either voice vote, tallied votes or en bloc.
An amendment offered by Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., which increases highway infrastructure programs by $12 million with a decrease to the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Secretary, was adopted by a voice vote en bloc with 12 other amendments.
Representatives Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., and Gil Cisneros, D-Calif., had an amendment be adopted by voice vote that increased by $5 million the national infrastructure investments planning set-aside for a total of $20 million to support transit, transit oriented development and multimodal projects.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., introduced an amendment that prohibits the Transportation Department from using funds to authorize transportation of liquefied natural gas by rail tank car by proposing and finalizing a rulemaking or issuing special permits. It was adopted by a 221 to 192 vote.
Senate has yet to unveil any spending bills. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., has said he wants to wait until the House, Senate and White House strike a deal to raise spending caps for 2020, according to The Hill.