Let me just say a few things and then yield to other members. TEA-21 was a landmark bill. It not only provided 40% more funding to meet our highway needs, it also guaranteed that level of funding so that states can use their money most effectively.
And that means not just better roads, but more jobs.
Our bill also continued the commitment, begun in ISTEA, of coordinating our transportation and clean air goals. And we helped simplify and streamline the delivery of highway programs.
The states are well into making good use of the added money and flexibility provided in the bill. All in all, TEA-21 is a very good bill and this committee and the Administration should be rightfully proud of it.
There are two issues that cut against that grain, however.
The first is the President's budget proposal to redirect the additional highway funds in FY 2000. As all my colleagues can appreciate, the formula issues were THE most contentious ones as we worked on the bill.
But we settled them to the satisfaction of a large majority of members. So I think it was very illadvised of the Administration to propose a change to that formula, less than nine months after the President signed the bill into law.
I don't think that proposal should become law. And judging by the virtually uniform negative reaction by many in Congress, I don't think it will be.
Second, I am concerned about the Department's recent "options paper" on implementing the streamlining provisions in TEA-21. Here again, I think the department got off course.
Delivering better highways is a complicated task. But TEA-21 was drafted with the belief that the existing process was too complex.
Senators Wyden and Graham, were among the leaders in the efforts to streamline the process while maintaining environmental and other protections.
Unfortunately, the options paper seemed to go in the opposite direction. Suggesting more complications and greater prescriptions. Not a simpler, more flexible process. We need to reverse that.
The department also needs to focus more on what it can do to streamline not just interagency actions, but its own internal procedures. That alone would achieve many of the benefits the Congress is looking for in this area.
I know we will be exploring this issue in more detail in hearings starting at the end of the month.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for having this hearing. I look forward to working with you and the other members of the subcommittee on our continuing oversight of TEA-21.