While the House and Senate continue to debate a long-term reauthorization of the nation's transportation system, a House appropriations subpanel this afternoon will consider a 2012 transportation and housing spending bill that would slash $217 million from last year's level.

The House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee yesterday released a $55.15 billion spending bill, $19.8 billion less than what President Obama had requested. Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said the cuts would create a system that was more "cost-effective, efficient and responsive to the American people."

"This bill establishes a realistic approach to funding these programs by building on a foundation of fiscal responsibility," said the transportation subcommittee's chairman, Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa). "The American people rightfully expect leaders to put people before politics and progress before partisanship to change the way Washington works and the work that Washington does to restore the confidence in the American Dream and our economy."

The committee's bill actually boosts transportation spending by $3 billion over last year's levels, including a $36 million boost for the Federal Railroad Administration and a $169 million increase for the Federal Transit Administration. Amtrak would net $1.1 billion under the bill, although it also includes policy reforms for the agency including language that eliminates federal funding for routes where Amtrak offers more than a 50 percent discount on tickets.

The Federal Highway Administration would bring in $27.7 billion, which the subcommittee said was the maximum amount supported by the gas-tax-fed Highway Trust Fund. The panel said a higher level could be appropriated if a multi-year authorization bill was enacted at a higher level.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development, meanwhile, would see cuts of roughly $3 billion over last year, including the elimination of all funding for sustainable and green community development programs.

The White House proposed a six-year spending plan that would boost spending levels to $556 billion but left it up to Congress to find a funding source to supplement the gas tax. Latham expressed frustration with various Obama administration officials over the omission, culminating in the chairman abruptly ending a March hearing with Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez.

"There is a responsibility for the administration to propose and Congress to [debate legislation]. I have not heard any leadership ... in terms of any honest proposals before Congress," Latham said at the hearing (E&E Daily, March 31).

The markup comes as both the House and Senate are considering long-term authorization bills for the transportation program, with the current authorization bill set to expire on Sept. 30. House Republicans are backing a six-year bill valued at $230 billion with cuts in line with the spending plan advanced by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). The Senate has proposed a two-year, $109 billion reauthorization that would maintain current spending indexed to inflation but would also require an additional $12 billion in revenue.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is holding a meeting this morning to consider a clean, four-month extension of the existing transportation bill to allow more time for debate on a long-term bill.

Schedule: The markup is today at 4 p.m. in 2358-A Rayburn.