House Republican backs bill to overhaul DC Metro

A House Republican is preparing to introduce legislation that would boost funding for Washington’s ailing Metro system in exchange for a series of reforms, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), the only Republican representing a district that uses the D.C. Metro, will file a bill to increase annual federal funding for the beleaguered transit agency to $225 million, up from $150 million per year.

{mosads}But the money would only be available if Metro establishes a five-member “reform board” that would have the authority to revise or void existing union contracts and impose limitations on pension and overtime pay.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao would select the board’s chairman, while D.C., Maryland and Virginia would each appoint a member. The fifth member would be picked from options recommended by Chao, according to the Post.

Under the bill, D.C., Maryland and Virginia also would have to raise their annual funding match for Metro, from $50 million each year to $75 million.

Lawmakers have long wrestled with how to fix the troubled Metro system, which has suffered from high-profile safety issues and major financial shortfalls in recent years. The transit agency is responsible for carrying a wide swath of the federal workforce.

Comstock, one of the most vulnerable Republicans up for reelection next year, spent nearly a year drafting the legislation, according to the Post.

But Democrats who support a funding boost for Metro are likely to oppose Comstock’s measure over the labor provisions.