On March 17, The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee marked up the transit portion of TEA-21 reauthorization legislation. The complete text of the legislation can be found on the website.

Much of the mark up discussion was criticism leveled at the Bush Administration for refusing to support more than $284 billion over six years. Committee members also criticized the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which they say took $1.7 billion in transit funding for highway programs. Banking Committee members vowed to work on raising the level of funding for transit programs contained in the comprehensive measure when the bill is on the floor. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) has scheduled Senate floor time for the legislation the last two weeks of April.

The as-yet-unnumbered legislation would authorize $51.6 billion for transit programs, or roughly 18.2 percent of the total available funding. When $301 billion was guaranteed in the overall Senate bill in 2004, transit programs would have received $56.6 billion, or 18.8 percent of the total program. Paul Sarbanes (D-Maryland), Ranking Member on the Committee, had planned to offer an amendment that would have raised transit program funding to $53.3 billion. He decided, however, to not offer his amendment. He will work with key Senators to increase overall funding on the Senate floor.

Lawmakers have said they hope to reconcile the House bill (H.R. 3) and the Senate measure by May 31, when the current short-term extension of highway, transit, and highway safety programs expires. This deadline may be tough to meet.