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The House recently passed a bill that would provide $400 million for transit, passenger-rail and freight-rail security programs in fiscal-year 2008 — a $125 million increase compared with FY2007’s level, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

The FY2008 Homeland Security Appropriations Act passed by a 268-150 vote. In addition, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $400 million for transit security programs. The Senate likely will bring the bill to the floor later this summer, according to APTA.

Meanwhile, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the Transportation Energy Security and Climate Change Mitigation Act (H.R. 2701), which was recently introduced by Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.). The bill would provide $1.6 billion for urban and rural transit agencies to expand service or reduce fares. H.R. 2701 also would enable transit-rail operators to request non-binding mediation from the Surface Transportation Board to settle disputes regarding access to trackage owned by freight railroads.