House Releases Draft Transportation Funding Bill

On May 22, 2019, the House Appropriations Committee released its FY 2020 draft transportation appropriations bill. Highlights include:

• $1 billion for TIGER grants—$100 million more than last year
• $1.1 billion for MARAD—$63 million less than last year and $395 million above the President’s budget request
• Full funding for the Maritime Security Program
• $300 million for school ship construction—equal to last year’s levels and $95 million more than the President’s budget request
• $225 million for MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program—$68 million less than last year and more than the President’s request of $0
• $15 million for MARAD’s Short Sea Transportation Program (America’s Marine Highways)
• $20 million for MARAD Small Shipyard Grants