In the House, H.R. 842 was a very divisive bill, pitting Shuster's transportation committee against the powerful House Budget and Appropriations committees, and threatening to divide the House leadership. Opponents and proponents alike made many strong claims and counter-claims about this bill. A few of these are true, some claims are downright wrong, and many claims about this bill can be neither substantiated nor refuted. This bill creates incentives for increased transportation capital spending. Judging from where the largest current surpluses are found in the trust funds, much of this increased spending likely would benefit transit projects.
Deficit reduction becomes more difficult.
Cuts in some of these areas, such as health care, human services, community development or job training, could have a negative effect on community transportation services. Contrary to much of the rhetoric whirling around Capitol Hill, this bill would keep final spending decisions in the hands of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. It would, however, eliminate the Budget Committees' roles in the annual budgeting and spending process. Rather than be limited by allocations in an annual budget resolution, the Appropriations Committees could approve spending based on the available balances in the trust funds. This would be the death knell for transit operating assistance, planning and research.