Politics on the Hudson

Four New York freshman Republicans have joined a bipartisan effort to restore guaranteed funding for mass transit in a House transportation bill scheduled for a floor vote later this week.
GOP Reps. Nan Hayworth of Bedford, Chris Gibson Kinderhook, Michael Grimm of Staten Island and Bob Turner of Queens are cosponsoring Manhattan Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s amendment that would preserve the Mass Transit Account in the Highway Trust Fund.
Federal mass transit aid is currently funded using 2.86 cents of the 18.4-cents-a-gallon federal fuel tax.
House Republicans have proposed decoupling the aid for mass transit from the trust fund.
New York Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley of Queens also is cosponsoring Nadler’s amendment.

UPDATE from reporter Malia Rulon in the Washington bureau:

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters during a budget briefing today it’s essential that the House version of the surface transportation bill be amended, particularly to maintain funding for transit programs. “The House bill takes us back to the dark ages,” LaHood said. “That’s why I hope amendments will be allowed, to plus up the transit funding, to plus up other funding.” LaHood spoke favorably about the Senate’s version of the bill. He described the House version as “one of the most deficient, handicapped bills that I’ve ever seen… It’s a lousy bill.”