House Bill Would Prevent Public Transit Use of Highway Trust Fund Revenue

The five-year, $260-billion surface transportation bill moving through the House of Representatives would prevent any federal Highway Trust Fund money from being spent on public transit.

Most of the trust fund revenue is generated by the federal 18.4-cent gasoline tax and the 24.4-cent diesel tax. Currently, 2.86 cents of each tax is dedicated to public transportation.

The House Ways and Means Committee, however, voted 20-17 on Friday to eliminate the transit dedication, which was initiated in 1983.

Under the terms of the reauthorization bill, $40 billion in general fund money would be dedicated to transit over five years.

The committee did not say, however, what offsets in the general fund would be implemented to generate that sum.