Senator
Harry Reid
Opening
Statement, EPW Committee
APartners
for America=s Transportation
Future@ Hearing
Welcome to the first in a
series of hearings on the reauthorization of our nation=s surface transportation
program. I am pleased to have the
opportunity to chair the Subcommittee on Transportation, Infrastructure and
Nuclear Safety and look forward to working closely with Senator Jeffords and
other members of the Committee to write the legislation reauthorizing the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, known as TEA-21.
This legislation is
critically important to each of our states and to the nation as a whole. I represent Nevada, the fastest growing
state in the country, and I have seen how such rapid growth has placed
tremendous demands on our road system and our entire transportation
infrastructure. I understand the
problems and needs of Nevada, and that=s why I will continue to provide leadership on
this issue. I want to make sure that in
my state and across America we have a transportation system that promotes
economic growth, improves safety, enhances quality of life, and protects the
environment.
Ten years ago, the
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act B ISTEA -- revolutionized transportation
policy. TEA-21, enacted in 1998,
maintained the principles of ISTEA while bringing significant new resources to
our highway and transit infrastructure.
TEA-21 shifted 4.3 cents of the gas tax from the General Fund to the
Highway Trust Fund and created the budgetary firewalls which ensure that all
revenues into the trust fund are dedicated to transportation investments.
Now it is our job to
build upon the successes of ISTEA and TEA-21 -- to protect the gains, identify
the weaknesses, and improve our transportation system.
Throughout this hearing
process we will look at ways to meet the transportation challenges of a new
century.
-- We will seek to use
new technologies to improve operations, alleviate congestion and enhance
security in metropolitan areas;
-- We will investigate
how multi-modal approaches can help us address transportation problems and
improve mobility;
-- We will examine the
physical condition of our highway and bridge infrastructure;
-- And we will study the
transportation sector=s impact on the economy
and the environment;
As we look for innovative
approaches to transportation problems, we must recognize that ensuring adequate
funding will be perhaps our biggest challenge.
Last fall, I was the
leading proponent of including infrastructure investment funds in the economic
stimulus package. My view was, and
still is, that investing in our infrastructure creates jobs and economic activity
in the short-run and results in permanent improvements that also benefit our
economy in the long run.
Unfortunately, in Fiscal
Year 2003 we face a $9 billion dollar decrease in highway funding. This is just the opposite of an economic
stimulus B it is more of an
economic depressant. This loss of
funding is of great concern, especially during a recession, and in the long run
will diminish the productivity of our transportation sector. I hope that the President=s budget will somehow
consider this important economic issue.
It will continue to be a top priority for me.
The Transportation,
Infrastructure, and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee that I chair will hold a
hearing devoted to the FY 2003 Federal Highway Administration budget proposal
and TEA-21 reauthorization in February.
I look forward to addressing funding issues in much greater detail at
that hearing.
For now, I am very
pleased with the excellent slate of witnesses we have on hand for this opening
hearing to provide the committee with perspectives on reauthorization from the
federal, state, and local level. Mr.
Secretary, I welcome you here today. We
could ask for no better partner in this process and I am delighted at the
opportunity to work with you again. I
look forward to your testimony.