Richard Shelby: “I am pleased to present the conference report on the fiscal year 1998 Department of Transportation and related agencies…”

“I am pleased to present the conference report on the fiscal year 1998 Department of Transportation and related agencies appropriations bill. This bill is very similar to the transportation appropriations bill that the Senate approved 98 to 1 on July 30. It provides the highest level of funding for Federal-aid highways in history--$22.9 billion. That's slightly less than the amount we had included in the Senate bill because, in conference, we agreed to fund some other House priorities, but it's still a record level. The actual distribution of those funds among the States will depend on reauthorization of ISTEA--the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991--which has provided authorization for Federal surface transportation programs for the past 6 years and which expired at the end of fiscal year 1997. But this increase of almost $3 billion over fiscal year 1997 will almost certainly mean more Federal highway spending for each State. The conference report also includes $300 million for the Appalachian Development Highway System as proposed by the Senate. This is a downpayment toward meeting the Federal Government's commitment to completing that System. The bill includes $4.7 billion for transit grants, including $200 million for Washington Metro.”