Democrats Advance Housing, Climate Goals in Transportation Bill

Rail, transit near affordable housing, and carbon emission programs would get a funding boost in a House transportation panel’s portion of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion tax and social policy bill.

The legislation would address many Democratic climate priorities, with $10 billion for high-speed rail and $4 billion to lower transportation greenhouse gas emissions, according to a summary the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released Friday. The panel will consider the proposal Tuesday.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) speaks at the U.S. Capitol on July 30, 2021.

Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Transportation panel’s bill can increase the deficit by no more than $60 billion between fiscal 2022 and 2031 under the framework House Democrats are following.

The funding would ...