Transportation Bill Passes Senate

The Senate passed the Department of Transportation appropriations bill, which includes funding for the USCG. The bill, passed in June by the House, had been held up in the Senate by controversies over mass transit and highway funding, as well as requirements for automobile fuel efficiency. The Senate bill funds the USCG at $4 billion for FY 00, a level similar to the House measure, and approximately $93 million more than last year. Preliminary discussion have been taking place between House and Senate staff members regarding the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill, which funds the USACE's civil works program. These talks have been prompted by a tentative House leadership decision to allocate an additional $1.2 billion to the House subcommittee for the bill. This additional allocation could make it easier to reach an agreement on vastly different House and Senate versions of the bill.