▁mass ▁trans it . ▁The ▁vote ▁was ▁a ▁close ▁ 4 9 - to - 4 4 . ▁The ▁Senate ▁bill ▁also ▁proposed ▁sp ending ▁$ 1 8 ▁billion ▁on ▁highway ▁and ▁mass ▁trans it ▁over ▁three ▁years , ▁and ▁included ▁no ▁money ▁for ▁highway ▁safety ▁or ▁design ▁improvement ▁programs . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁we aker ▁support ▁for ▁mass ▁trans it ▁sp ending ▁in ▁the ▁House , ▁however . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Represent ative ▁Col mer ▁had ▁used ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁R ules ▁Committee ▁to ▁block ▁any ▁floor ▁am end ments ▁aim ed ▁at ▁adding ▁mass ▁trans it ▁sp ending ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁highway ▁bill . ▁But ▁Col mer ▁was ▁gone , ▁and ▁Represent ative ▁Mad den ▁was ▁much ▁more ▁willing ▁to ▁allow ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁bill ▁to ▁be ▁made ▁on ▁the ▁House ▁floor . ▁F ew ▁expected ▁trans it ▁sp ending ▁authorization ▁to ▁come ▁from ▁the ▁House ▁Public ▁Works ▁Committee , ▁however . ▁The ▁committee ▁was ▁populated ▁primarily ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁Congress ▁from ▁rural ▁areas ▁who ▁wanted ▁to ▁exp end ▁money ▁on ▁high ways ▁and ▁were ▁not ▁willing ▁to ▁dev ote ▁funds ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁mass ▁trans it ▁( which ▁benef itted ▁only ▁cities ). ▁But ▁there ▁was ▁much ▁stronger ▁support ▁for ▁mass ▁trans it ▁sp ending ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁as ▁a ▁whole . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁new ▁Major ity ▁Le ader , ▁T ip ▁O ' Ne ill , ▁was ▁a ▁strong ▁supp orter ▁of ▁mass ▁trans it ,