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Last week, the House approved an $819 billion economic stimulus package that included an amendment introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) to increase public transit funding by $3 billion to a total of $12 billion. Now, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is proposing to take that a step further in the Senate.

The Senate version of the stimulus bill currently proposes $8.4 billion for public transit. Schumer wants to boost funding to $14.9 billion by increasing the transit capital pot to $10.4 billion, and adding $2 billion for rail modifications and $2.5 billion for New Starts.

The capital funding would help agencies cover "out-of-control" capital costs, the rail modification fund would provide funds for aging systems and the New Starts pot would include dollars for projects such as MTA Long Island RailRoad's East Side Access, MTA New York City Transit's Second Avenue Subway and New Jersey Transit's Access to the Region's Core, according to Schumer. The additional funding also would help New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority overcome record budget deficits, he said.

The Senate began considering its version of the stimulus package yesterday. Debate expected to continue through the week.