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Senate Advances DOT Budget With $2.9 Billion for Rail

July 24, 2025

Senate Advances DOT Budget With $2.9 Billion for Rail, $16.8 Billion for Transit

By Sean Jeans-Gail | VP of Gov’t Affairs + Policy

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The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act earlier today by a vote of 27 to 1. The bill funds Amtrak at $2.4 billion, equal to the levels requested in the White House budget proposal.

“It is critical that we make significant investments to modernize our air traffic control systems and improve our airports, roads, railways, bridges, and ports,” said Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Chair of the Appropriations Committee.

Critically, the bipartisan Senate bill rejects several short-sighted moves included in the House version, which raided funding for future intercity passenger rail upgrades to pay for present-day Amtrak operations and slashed funding to important transit grant programs.

While the official text of the bill hasn’t been posted on the Committee website, the Majority has released a bill summary.

Rail Passengers will update this post when the bill’s text is posted.

BIL - Authorized Rail Funds

FY25 Enacted

FY2026 House THUD

FY2026 Senate THUD

Amtrak - NEC

$1.14 billion

$925 million

$0.8 billion?

Amtrak - Nat'l Network

$1.29 billion

$1.39 billion

$1.6 billion?

Amtrak - Total

$2.33 billion

$2.31 billion

$2.4 billion

FRA Operations

$268 million

$265 million

?

Fed-State Partnership for IPR/SOGR

$75 million

$0

$75 million

CRISI Grants

$100 million

$538 million

$151 million

RR Crossing Elimination Grants

$0

$0

$0

Restoration & Enhancement Grants

$0

$0

$0

Key Funding Highlights:

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA): $2.9 billion, including:

  • $2.4 billion for Amtrak, of which $1.6 billion is for the National Network and $0.8 billion is for the Northeast Corridor
  • $151 million is for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program
  • $75 million for FSP

Federal Transit Administration: $16.8 billion, including

  • $1.9 billion for the Capital Investment Grants program,
  • $1.1 billion for the bus and bus facilities program,
  • $20 million to assist transit agencies in improving safety and security in transit systems, and
  • $146 million to help host cities throughout the country provide transit service for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Federal Aviation Administration: $22 billion, including:

  • $13.8 billion for Operations,
  • $4 billion for Facilities and Equipment,
  • $290 million for Research and Development, and
  • $4 billion for Grants-in-Aid for Airports.

Federal Highway Administration: $63.3 billion

The approved bill will now wait on consideration by the full Senate, though no timeline for floor action has been published.

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