Yesterday, Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama withdrew a budget measure that could have cost New York State up to $160 million in federal transit aid. Shelby's measure was approved by a Senate committee in May (see MTR #222). It would have distributed federal transit aid more evenly among the states, without regard for the fact that mass transit systems and riders are concentrated heavily in New York and California. Lobbying and a filibuster threat by Schumer and others was apparently convincing to enough Senators that Shelby lost a vote yesterday to end debate on the transportation spending bill. Sen. Shelby withdrew the measure after the vote.