Republicans propose $51.6 billion transportation bill

On Wednesday House Republican lawmakers unveiled a $51.6 billion budget for the proposed new road and public transit spending bill. According to The Hill, the House Appropriations Committee said Wednesday that it will consider its Transportation, Housing and Urban Development budget for fiscal year 2013 in a subcommittee hearing today. The draft of the proposal contains a $3.9 billion reduction for the agencies from 2012 spending and it is $1.9 billion less than President Obama requested for the departments earlier this year.

In March, President Obama put his signature on the transportation bill 90-day extension. The two-year, $109 billion bill was approved by the Senate in early March. In March the House could not agree on the bill, leading to its extension.