The sequester also trimmed a recently enacted $50.5-billion emergency spending bill provided to New Jersey, New York and other states hammered by Superstorm Sandy last October. For example, that measure's $10.9 billion for transit was sliced by $545 million.

The next fiscal deadline is March 27, when a government-wide stopgap spending measure expires. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) introduced a continuing resolution (CR) on March 4 that would run through Sept. 30, the end of fiscal year 2013. It would keep the sequester's cuts in place through that date.

Rogers' bill does provides a $2-billion boost for embassy security and a $125-million hike for VA minor construction. However, transportation groups are unhappy that it omits $600 million that last year's Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act provided for federal-aid highways. Senate appropriators had not yet released their version of the upcoming CR at ENR press time.

Budget Sequester's Construction Cuts
Program Amount ($ millions)
Defense (7.8% reductions)
Army construction 408
Air Force construction 151
Navy and Marine Corps construction 297
Other military construction (DOD-wide) 454
DOD base closure (1990 and 2005 rounds) 72
DOE defense environmental cleanup 394
Non-defense (generally 5.0% reductions)
Corps of Engineers construction 250
Corps operation and maintenance 122
Corps flood control/coastal emergencies 52
EPA water infrastructure (state and tribal grants) 210
EPA Superfund 74
FTA emergency relief (post-disaster repairs) 545
FTA capital investment grants (new starts) 96
Highway Trust Fund (transfer from general fund) 316
FHWA emergency relief 101
State Dept. embassy security, construction, maintenance 79
Exempt From Sequester
Federal-aid highways (trust-fund portion) 39,144
Transit formula grants 8,361
FAA airport grants 3,515
VA major construction projects 590
VA minor construction projects 482
Source: Office of Management and Budget