Transportation Democrats to Republican Leaders: Don’t Shortchange Surface Transportation Funding in the Continuing Resolution

Washington, D.C. – Today, top Democrats on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure sent a letter to leaders on the House Committee on Appropriations, urging them to fully fund job-creating investments in our transportation infrastructure in the upcoming Continuing Resolution (CR). In December 2015, Congress enacted the FAST Act, which increased badly needed investment in our Nation’s transportation infrastructure by almost $2.4 billion over fiscal year 2016. Given the overwhelming bipartisan support for the FAST Act, the Democrats have requested that Republican Leaders ensure that the CR reflects the higher funding levels that were approved and fully paid for in the FAST Act.

 

The letter was signed by Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Michael Capuano (D-MA).

 

“We urge the Committee on Appropriations to ensure that any CR reflect the FAST Act increases and not simply continue funding at FY 2016 levels. These increases include $1.85 billion for highways, $432 million for public transit, and $85 million for highway safety. Moreover, the increased public transit investment includes $199 million from the Highway Trust Fund for grants to help public transit agencies and commuter railroads install positive train control (PTC) systems, which will significantly improve transportation safety. These infrastructure investment increases are guaranteed by the Highway Trust Fund and fully paid for under the FAST Act. Failure to provide FAST Act funding levels under the CR will unnecessarily withhold $2.4 billion from States, local governments, and public transit agencies and prevent them from making timely surface transportation investments, letting contracts, and creating good-paying jobs,” wrote the members.

 

For additional information about the FAST Act, click here.

A full copy of the letter can be found below.

 

November 28, 2016

 

The Honorable Harold Rogers                                    The Honorable Nita M. Lowey

Chairman                                                                     Ranking Member

Committee on Appropriations                                     Committee on Appropriations

           

The Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart                               The Honorable David E. Price

Chairman                                                                     Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Transportation,                               Subcommittee on Transportation,

HUD, and Related Agencies                                        HUD, and Related Agencies

 

Dear Chairmen Rogers and Diaz-Balart and Ranking Members Lowey and Price:

 

We understand that the House Republican Leadership, with the support of President-elect Donald Trump, has decided to move forward with a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the Federal Government through March 31, 2017.

 

We write to urge you to ensure that the funding levels for highway, highway safety, and public transit investments in any CR reflect the increased funding levels provided by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (P.L. 114-94) and guaranteed by the Highway Trust Fund.

 

In December 2015, Congress came together on a bipartisan basis to enact the FAST Act to increase badly needed investment in our Nation’s transportation infrastructure. The FAST Act, which was fully paid for, increases highway, highway safety, and public transit investments from the Highway Trust Fund by almost $2.4 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2017. The CR should provide the increased FAST Act levels to help grow our economy and create family-wage jobs.

 

We urge the Committee on Appropriations to ensure that any CR reflect the FAST Act increases and not simply continue funding at FY 2016 levels. These increases include $1.85 billion for highways, $432 million for public transit, and $85 million for highway safety. Moreover, the increased public transit investment includes $199 million from the Highway Trust Fund for grants to help public transit agencies and commuter railroads install positive train control (PTC) systems, which will significantly improve transportation safety. These infrastructure investment increases are guaranteed by the Highway Trust Fund and fully paid for under the FAST Act. Failure to provide FAST Act funding levels under the CR will unnecessarily withhold $2.4 billion from States, local governments, and public transit agencies and prevent them from making timely surface transportation investments, letting contracts, and creating good-paying jobs.

 

The time to provide FAST Act funding levels is now, not at the end of March 2017, when the spring construction season will already be underway across the country.

 

Thank you for your consideration.

                                               

Sincerely,

 

 

PETER DeFAZIO                                                     ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

Ranking Member                                                         Ranking Member

                                                                                                Subcommittee on Highways & Transit

 

MICHAEL CAPUANO

Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines,

             and Hazardous Materials

 

 

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