House Puts Hold on Transportation Appropriations Bill

The League of American Bicyclists reported this week the U.S. Senate
UPDATE THURSDAY 1:00 PM: TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS FAILS IN SENATE: In an almost party-line vote, the Senate blocked the THUD bill.  The Senate scheduled a vote today for cloture on the Transporation, HUD Appropriations, which would have ended debate and brought a vote on the substance of the bill.  For a cloture vote to pass it must get 60 votes.  The cloture vote on THUD failed to do so with a final vote of 54-43.

The bill had been hailed as bi-partisan and passed the Appropriations Committee with strong support from both sides of the aisle.  However, this week, Republican leadership in the Senate argued against the bill because, they said, the funding level was too high.  

This means now that both chambers have failed to pass a Transportation and Housing budget.  Congress will need to pass a continuing resolution by the end of September in order to keep U.S. Department of Transportation open and transportation dollars flowing.  





The League of American Bicyclists reported earlier today that the U.S. House leadership pulled the Transportation Appropriations Bill from the floor. Debate and voting on the Bill are postponed until September. If passed, the Bill would include cuts to the Community Development Fund Grant, which funds many programs in local cities, which are used for infrastructure development. 

In the Senate however, Senate Majority Leader Reid filed for cloture on the Senate Transportation Appropriations, which means the Senate will vote on Thursday (August 1) to end debate on the Bill and move on to voting. 

Additionally, on Tuesday, July 30, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced Amendment 1798 to the Transportation Appropriations Bill to take all the funds from the Transportation Alternatives Program. 

Bike Walk Connecticut will keep you posted on the Senate vote this week.