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The House and Senate Appropriations Committees recently came to a compromise on their versions of the fiscal-year 2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill, according to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Nov. 16 President’s Letter.

The final version of the bill includes $9.7 billion for public transportation programs, a $703 million increase compared with FY2007’s level, but $53.2 million less than the amount authorized under SAFETEA-LU. The committee proposed providing $50 million less than the authorized level for the New Starts/Small Starts program and $3.2 million less than authorized for Federal Transit Administration expenses.

On Wednesday, the full House approved the conference report; the Senate is expected to vote on it today. However, President Bush might veto the legislation, APTA said.