Senate Votes $12.6 Billion for Transportation

The Senate approved a $12.6-billion spending bill for transportation programs Wednesday that sets aside money for more air safety personnel and saves Amtrak from drastic cuts sought by the House.

The bill to fund programs in fiscal 1997 provides for 250 additional air traffic controller positions and 130 aviation hazardous materials inspectors.

The House version of the bill, passed in June, also stressed air safety in the wake of the May 11 ValuJet crash in Florida, providing for new radar systems and ground-to-air replacement radios.

The two chambers must now meet to work out differences before sending the measure to President Clinton. The measure is one of 13 appropriations bills needed to run the federal government in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The Senate also approved without dissent a House-Senate agreement on the $53-billion appropriations bill for agriculture and related programs.

The bill, which goes to the president after expected House endorsement later this week, includes about $40 billion for food stamps and other domestic food programs and $2 billion for rural economic development programs.

The Senate’s transportation bill includes $3.5 billion for the Coast Guard and $6.8 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration.

It approves $592 million for Amtrak, down $43 million from 1996 but $130 million above what the House allocated. Contrary to the House, which eliminated all funding for Northeast corridor rail improvement, the Senate met the administration request for $200 million. The administration had objected to House cuts in rail transit programs.