Appropriations Committee Would Cut Half of D.C. Metro's Funding

"Lawmakers who represent House districts in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area are criticizing a Republican spending bill for cutting federal funding for the capital's Metro as the subway system deals with safety issues," reports Keith Lang.

"The federal government typically provides about $150 million annually to the subway system in and around the nation’s capitol," according to Laing. But the $55 billion funding bill for the departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, recently released by the House Appropriations Committee proposes $75 million for D.C. Metro.

Laing notes that the proposed cut in funding comes at the same time as safety issues, including a fatal accident in January on the system's Yellow Line, are requiring new investments in the system.

Laing also notes that members of the D.C. area congressional delegation, including representatives from Virginia and Maryland—states that typical match the federal funding with $50 million each of their own—have issued a statement urging the committee to raise the total back to $150 million.