House GOP Eyes Cuts in Transportation Funds, Paper Reports

House Republicans are seeking to cut federal transportation funds to match federal fuel-tax revenue, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.

At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing scheduled for Thursday, GOP members may attempt to cut funding for highways and mass transit by about a third from levels being sought by the Obama administration, the Post reported.

Disagreement over three options, including raising the federal gasoline tax, slashing spending or finding new revenue sources, has stalled renewal of the six-year transportation spending bill since it expired in 2009, the paper said.

Before Democrats lost control of the House last year, the transportation committee chaired by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) was discussing a $450 billion reauthorization bill, compared with the $500 billion to $550 billion being sought by the Obama administration, the Post said.

A bill backed by Mica is expected to provide between $215 billion and $230 billion over six years, according to congressional staff members, the paper reported.