The American Public Transportation Association publicly thanked President Donald Trump for signing a bill that increases transit spending. The news release comes after APTA spoke out against Trump's proposals to slash public transit and passenger rail budgets, in part to pay for roads and other infrastructure projects.

The appropriations bill increases funding for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs to $13.5 billion, up from the $12.3 billion authorized. Amtrak funding was set at $1.9 billion, up from $1.5 billion in FY 2017. Other passenger rail programs also saw increases.

APTA's "1,500 public and private members thank President Trump for signing the Fiscal Year 2018 omnibus budget and commend Congress for significant investment increases in federal public transportation and passenger rail programs," said CEO Paul Skoutelas in a news statement.

Trump threatened early on March 23 that he would veto the $1.3 trillion spending bill approved by Congress. Later in the day, Trump did sign the bill, citing his support for more money for defense.

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