“I think it’s a great step forward that the House was able to get a bill done,” says Cathy Connor, Parsons Brinckerhoff senior vice president for government affairs. Key differences between the bills on controversial provisions and a tight congressional schedule could make it difficult to get to conference, Connor adds. On the positive side, “I think there’s a lot of momentum coming out of the House,” she says. At ENR press time, negotiations between the two sides had not yet begun.
The House measure, approved 311-104, has $14.9 billion for Amtrak and high-speed rail, plus $1.5 billion over 10 years for capital and maintenance projects on the Washington, D.C., Metro transit system. The bill includes $4.2 billion for Amtrak capital grants, $2.5 billion for grants to states for intercity passenger-rail capital expenses and $1.75 billion for states and Amtrak to build high-speed rail corridors. Funds would be spread over five years.