The House today approved a $51.6 billion transportation and housing funding measure that cuts levels by $3.9 billion from last year.

The "Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act" passed by a 261-163 vote, with 79 Democrats backing the package. The bill is $1.9 billion below President Obama's request.

The House also approved an amendment from Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) that blocks any funding for a high-speed rail project in California. No money is allotted to the program -- or any high-speed rail -- in the bill, but Republicans said the vote was simply to prevent any potential spending on the line that they see as a waste of federal money.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn's (R-Tenn.) attempt to impose an across-the-board 1 percent cut to discretionary funding, valued at $516 million, failed on a 254-166 vote.

Two other amendments were approved for the bill, including one from Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) that would prohibit funding from being used for the Third Street Light Rail Project in San Francisco. That measure passed on a 235-186 vote.

Another from Rep. James Lankford (R-Okla.) that would block the government from paying any Federal Highway Administration officer to administer or enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act on the cliff swallow or barn swallow passed 234-191.

The appropriations bill, as expected, does not contain money for the TIGER livability grant program. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) led an effort along with several colleagues to restore $500 million for the popular TIGER program, but it was ruled out of order because her proposal did not include a funding offset.

The spending bill is the sixth to see floor time this year in the House. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a $53.4 billion funding bill.