The State of Play in Congress

1. The State of Play in Congress Margo PedrosoDeputy DirectorSafe Routes to School National Partnership

2. Atmosphere in Congress • Republicans have majority in both House and Senate • In-fighting among Republicans • Tea Party/Freedom Caucus vs. mainstream Rs • Compromise and legislate vs. shut down the government • Speaker Boehner resigned • Expected successor McCarthy pulled out of the race • Leadership elections in late October? • Lots to do this fall: appropriations, debt ceiling, transportation bill

3. Appropriations • Appropriations = annual process to fund government • Affects agencies like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parts of US Department of Transportation, etc. • Boehner resigned as speaker to avoid government shutdown in September • Only delayed appropriations battle until Dec. 11 • Contention over “sequester” that would mandatecuts to defense and domestic spending • Republicans found a workaround to avoid defense cuts; Democrats want domestic spending fixed • Conservatives want to keep spending cuts in place • Members working on a deal to raise the budget ceiling, mitigating the sequester cuts

4. Appropriations • Complicated by Planned Parenthood videos • House using “budget reconciliation” to propose eliminating Obamacare, prevention fund, Planned Parenthood funding • House voting this month; Senate after that; President expected to veto • Also have to raise the debt ceiling – country’s borrowing limit • Likely to be contentious battle in December

5. Transportation • MAP-21 was last transportation bill, passed in 2012 • Only 2 years in length due to funding shortfall • Consolidated programs, more state flexibility and less red tape • Big fight over funding for biking and walking • Bridges are falling down; can’t afford “niceties” of bike paths… • We shouldn’t force states to spend money on this... • Sidewalks and bike paths are a local issue... • Result was Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) • Consolidated 3 bike/ped programs with 30% cut • States can transfer 50% of TAP funding • Regions (MPOs) and states share decision-making • Requires competitive process

6. The next Transportation Bill • Current extension expires October 30 • Highway Trust Fund is broke (still): • Gas tax short $13-18B per year • Congress has to find money to extend bill • Tax reform was supposed to be the answer, but deal has failed • Unclear now where funding will come from • Senate acted in July with DRIVE Act • House seeking solution

7. What’s In the Senate’s DRIVE Act for TAP? • Changes to TAP in DRIVE: • Nonprofits now eligible to apply for $$ • Doubles local control and eliminates state transfers • Lowers regulatory burden for TAP projects • Increases funding from $819M to $850M/year—but freezes it • Sens. Cardin (D-MD) and Cochran (R-MS) were champions • What did we not get? • Small MPOs not eligible to apply for $$ • More flexibility on the required 20% match tomake projects accessible to low-income • Unfreeze TAP spending level • All in all – good result for TAP

8. What’s the status in the House? • TAP is again a point of contention, even though: • At least a half-dozen Republicans on the Committee have asked Chairman Shuster to support TAP • All Democrats, led by Rep. Larsen (D-WA), have said a bill that changes TAP is not bipartisan • Small but vocal minority of Tea Party members want TAP eliminated completely • Goal is that the House leave TAP alone, untouched – no funding or policy changes

9. How we talk about TAP with House REpublicans • TAP is all about competition and local control • Money for big cities, small towns and everything in between • Some of the only federal transportation dollars that make it down to local governments • Redirecting TAP cuts local projects to fund a few expensive projects in a few districts around country • States aren’t transferring out – this isn’t a controversial issue at the state/local level

10. What’s Next for TAP • House Committee may mark up bill late October • Will unresolved House leadership cause delay? • Could face a vote in committee or on the floor to hurt or help TAP • Once the House acts • Then the House and Senate have to reconcile their differences • Have to work with our supporters to make sure the final bill comes out positive on TAP

11. How you can help • Let your Members of Congress know that you support the Transportation Alternatives Program • Speak to your local needs and benefits • Economic development and property values • Quality of life and transportation options • Safety for kids and families • Cost-effectiveness • Public health • Come armed with local stories – where these investments are needed or where they have helped

12. Margo Pedroso, Safe Routes to School National Partnership margo@saferoutespartnership.org www.saferoutespartnership.org For More Information: