Package Exceeds Administration Request by $2 Billion : House Approves $10 Billion in Transportation Funds

The House on Thursday passed a $10.1-billion transportation appropriations bill for fiscal 1986, ignoring Reagan Administration criticism of funding for passenger train service and new subways, including one in Los Angeles.

The bill, approved 307 to 102 with no debate on the money issues, includes funds for programs under the Transportation Department and related agencies and exceeds the Administration’s request by more than $2 billion.

The Senate still must act on the bill, with differences to be worked out in a conference committee.

Included in the House bill are about $603 million for Amtrak, the nation’s passenger rail service, and about $2.7 billion for mass transit programs. Both figures are below 1985 funding levels, but the Administration had hoped to eliminate them altogether.

On Wednesday, the House had beaten back efforts to make deeper cuts in Amtrak’s federal subsidy; supporters argued that the 11.4% cut was as much as Amtrak could stand and still continue operating at reasonable efficiency.

Subway Projects

Approval of the mass transit funding, administered by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, would allow nine cities--including Los Angeles--to start new subway building projects, a prospect the Administration contends is too costly.

In a statement, the Office of Management and Budget called the transportation bill “unacceptable for this period of national fiscal austerity.” In referring to the new subway projects, the statement said that they would “end the ability of the (Transportation) Department to fund the most deserving projects.”

At the White House, a spokesman refused to speculate on whether Reagan would veto the legislation if it reached his desk.

One Administration official said there are “gradations of presidential veto language,” adding that the language on the transportation measure is “softer” than that on a $1.68-billion nutrition bill, which Reagan also opposes.

The nutrition bill also reached the floor Thursday, but House members, amid several hostile, time-consuming amendments, put off further consideration until next week.

The legislation would authorize funding through 1988 of five school lunch and child nutrition programs: Women, Infants and Children special supplemental food program, known as WIC; a summer food program for children; a commodity distribution funding authority, nutrition education and training programs and funding for state administrative expenses for the child nutrition programs.

Hunger Problem Cited

The Administration and its allies in Congress have objected strongly to a $121-million increase for fiscal 1986 in the programs’ current level of spending, while the programs’ supporters have argued that the increases are needed to combat a serious hunger problem.

A statement from the Office of Management and Budget said that, if Congress approves the nutrition bill, which is pending in the Senate, the President’s advisers “would recommend its disapproval.”

In arguing for the bill Thursday, its floor manager, California Rep. Augustus F. Hawkins (D-Los Angeles), called the programs a “sound investment in our children’s future.”

Amendment Package

But Rep. Steve Bartlett (R-Tex.), opposing the measure, prepared a package of amendments that he said would cut $400 million from the programs next year. The first of his amendments, one to eliminate a program to help schools buy kitchen equipment, failed by a vote 235 to 157.

However, it became clear that the other amendments would consume a great deal of time, so members agreed to resume debate on the remaining amendments next week.

Bartlett is expected to propose to delay for one year the scheduled July 1, 1986, cost-of-living adjustment for child nutrition programs, delete the federal cash subsidy for school lunches and use a means test for children in day care programs in homes.

Bill calling for quick action on financing of metro Rail passes. Page 1, Part 2.