House defends Essential Air Service program in amendment votes

But in a 166-248 vote, the House rejected a proposal from Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) to terminate the program entirely, saving $100 million. Republicans voted 151-73, and Democrats voted 15-175.

{mosads}The House also voted 191-224 against a proposal from Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) that would have reduced the top per-ticket subsidy to $250, from $500. Fewer Republicans favored this idea — the GOP voted 137-88, while Democrats opposed it 54-136.

However, members did pass language from Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), that maintains the exemption in communities in Alaska and Hawaii from the per-ticket subsidy cap under the law. Members passed his proposal 239-175.

The amendments were proposed as tweaks to the 2014 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The House considered several other amendments to the bill, from:

— Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), increasing funding for oil pipeline safety under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration by $500,000, and reducing administrative salaries. Accepted in voice vote.

— Pete Gallego (D-Texas), striking language that limits Department of Transportation spending on the Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response. Passed 317-92.

— Tom Latham (R-Iowa), technical amendment to direct money to infrastructure instead of an administrative office. Accepted in voice vote.

— Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), adding $500,000 to study ways to warn aircraft of low air speeds, and reducing NextGen funding by the same amount. Accepted in voice vote.

— Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), restoring funding to the NextGen program, $3.5 million, without an offset. Failed 154-258.

— Hastings, making $870 million available for the NextGen air traffic control program. Failed 109-300.

— Hastings, making $62 million available for NextGen research and development. Failed 116-295.

— Frank Wolf (R-Va.), eliminating $13 million in funding for administrative expenses from the Federal Highway Administration. Accepted in voice vote.

— Paul Broun (R-Ga.), defunding Amtrak’s capital account, $600 million. Rejected in voice vote.

— Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), increasing funding for infrastructure spending by $127 million. Point of order upheld.