House Panel Hikes Highways, Slashes Amtrak, GSA Construction
The House transportation-treasury appropriations subcommittee on July 11 approved a spending bill that provides about $35.3 billion for the federal-aid highway program, up $2.7 billion, or 8%, from the enacted 2003 level.
But to achieve those gains, subcommittee Chairman Ernest J. Istook, Jr., (R-Okla.) made cuts in other programs. One that was hard hit was Amtrak: the measure slashes funds for the passenger rail system by about 44%, to $580 million.