Congress sends ISTEA bill to President Clinton

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The House and Senate have agreed to a comprehensive deal on a $210 billion legislative package for the much-anticipated Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) reauthorization. Although the original Senate version of the bill for mass transit funding was lower, it will now allow a higher amount of spending on mass transit. Four billion dollars is now subject to appropriations, and awaits the president's signature. However, the House has since then passed the TEA21 Restoration Act; the bill makes technical corrections to the two-week old Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21). The technical corrections package adds safety provisions agreed to in conference, but accidentally left out in the rush to get the final bill in on time; it also adjusts the list of demonstration projects. At LASN press time, President Clinton signed TEA21 into law. TEA21 will authorize $217 billion over the next six years.