EL PASO, Tx -- Budgets are tight, buses are full, but there could be some light at the end of tunnel for the nation's mass transit systems.

Congressional reports obtained by our Washington Bureau show the U.S. House Committee plans to nearly double the federal tax money handed out to the nation's mass transit systems starting next year.

Texas transit systems receive $457 million in American tax dollars a year.

They could start getting as much as $900 million each year, starting in 2010.

U.S House leaders are so focused on climate change and pollution, we're told it's highly likely they'll ramp up mass transit spending by year's end.

But this doesn’t come without controversy.

Beverly Scott, with the American Public Transportation Association said, “There was a point in this country, that we literally led the world in infrastructure. That is simply not the case in the U.S. at this point in time."

Dan Mitchell, small government advocate said, "All you're doing is taking money in a leaky bucket to Washington, losing a lot of it to waste and bureaucracy. And then having it funneled out to local mayors, who because it's not their money, are more likely to waste it."

A key house committee vote on the money comes in late summer.