The bill that would give the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority a much-needed $1.5 billion over 10 years also would require the transit system to make technological improvements and change its governing body.

Before the measure won approval from the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, panel chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., tacked on a provision requiring Metro follow through on plans to install technology that allows all cell phones to work in the subway system. Currently, only Verizon customers can receive cell phone signals in the underground stations.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., “thinks it’s important from a security and safety standpoint that Metro riders have access to their cell phones,” a spokesman said.

Metro must install the cell phone technology in its 20 busiest stations within a year of the Davis bill becoming law and upgrade the 66 other stations in the following three years.

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Metro’s board of directors, which has six voting and six nonvoting members, would add four seats under Davis’ measure. Currently the board has representatives from the state and local governments that provide annual subsidies to Metro. The four new board members, two of whom would have voting privileges, would represent the federal government.

“With half of Metro commuters being federal employees, Uncle Sam should want representation on the Metro board,” said Jack Corbet, a founder of the Web site

MetroRiders.org, a major rider advocacy group.

The bill, which the committee approved Wednesday, still has to win approval from the full House and the Senate before going to President Bush. The measure requires that D.C., Maryland and Virginia each allocate $500 million before Metro receives the $1.5 billion from the federal government.

“Metro is teetering,” Davis said. “We can fund it properly and have it continue to be a source of pride for this region. Or we can continue on our present course and see it decline into disuse. The federal government could not survive without it.”

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com