T4America Blog

Reaction to transportation investment levels in the compromise federal budget bill for fiscal 2014

Proposal increases funding support for locally driven solutions

Responding to release of the omnibus bill covering all federal discretionary spending for FY2014 – drafted in accordance with December’s House-Senate budget agreement — Transportation for America Director James Corless issued this statement:

“We are very pleased to see that the omnibus bill gave appropriate weight to preserving and increasing support for our transportation network – a basic and essential function of government.

 

Local communities looking to strengthen their economy can once again turn to a federal partner ready to increase overall transportation investment, with transit grants under the New Starts program (up $272 million over FY13) and competitive grants for key locally driven projects under TIGER, at a $600 million level not seen since 2010. Commuters throughout the nation can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their bridges and roads are more likely to be repaired and modernized, and that their transit route is less likely to be cut, and aging rail cars and buses could be upgraded, thanks to restored support for existing public transportation service and adequate support for Amtrak.

 

Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and representatives Hal Rogers (R-KY.) and Tom Latham (R-IA) have done the nation a tremendous service in crafting a bipartisan package with transportation investment that can help restore our economy and improve quality of life in our communities.

 

We hope Congress will turn its attention toward preventing the oncoming insolvency of our key transportation trust fund. For inspiration, they can look to our alliance’s proposal to raise enough revenues not only to avoid calamity, but also to provide our local communities the resources and latitude they need to reach their economic potential. Our nation’s economy is only as strong as our local economies, and those depend on a reliable, safe, well-maintained transportation network.”