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H.J. Res. 76, Joint Resolution Granting the Consent and Approval of Congress for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to Enter into a Compact Relating to the Establishment of the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission 1 (July 14, 2017)

handle is hein.congrec/cbo3646 and id is 1 raw text is: 




                 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
                            COST   ESTIMATE

                                                                   July 14, 2017


                                H.J.  Res.  76
 Joint Resolution   granting the consent  and  approval  of Congress   for the
 Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of
   Columbia   to enter into a compact  relating to the establishment  of the
                 Washington   Metrorail   Safety Commission

      As ordered reported by the House Committee on Judiciary on June 14, 2017


H.J. Res. 76 would grant Congressional consent to a compact establishing a safety
commission for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). A
Congressional act is required for WMATA to establish a safety commission. Based on
information from WMATA   and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), CBO
anticipates that under H.J. Res. 76 WMATA would certify a safety oversight agency
during fiscal year 2018.

Establishing this commission would bring WMATA into compliance with federal law that
requires an independent agency to oversee safety at the transit authority. The FTA
currently serves as the entity responsible for safety oversight of the agency and will
continue to do so until the compact is approved and the FTA certifies that WMATA is able
to provide safety oversight that complies with FTA guidelines. In fiscal year 2016, the FTA
spent about $6 million on safety activities for WMATA and will continue to incur similar
costs until the WMATA oversight program is certified, CBO estimates. Thus,
implementing the bill would decrease discretionary costs for the FTA by about $6 million a
year.

In addition, the FTA is prohibiting the states of Virginia and Maryland and the District of
Columbia from obligating about $15 million that was provided in 2017 until WMATA
establishes a safety commission. Spending for transportation programs funded from the
Highway  Trust Fund is controlled by annual limitations on obligations contained in
appropriations acts. Section 160 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 directed
that funds for FTA programs covered by the 2017 obligation limitation (including the
$15 million mentioned above) will remain available for obligation through 2022. Upon
certification, CBO expects that the $15 million would become available and would
subsequently be spent over the 2018-2024 period. Because enacting this joint resolution
would effectively make that $15 million available, those outlays would increase direct
spending. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply.

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