By Jim Berard (202) 225-6260
Oberstar Statement in Support of Proposed FY 2008 Budget Resolution
I am extremely pleased that the budget proposed by Chairman Spratt recognizes the critical importance of meeting our nation's infrastructure investment needs, even while achieving a balanced budget by 2012. Too often, capital investments are shortchanged due to more immediate needs to finance day-to-day operations. This budget does not make that mistake. Rather, it assumes full funding for programs financed by the Highway and Aviation Trust Funds. These programs are funded by highway and aviation system users and do not contribute to the deficit.
Specifically, the proposed budget fully funds highway, transit, and highway safety programs at the levels guaranteed in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), including the $631 million adjustment for Revenue Aligned Budget Authority in fiscal year (FY) 2008. The Administration's ill-advised proposal to cut transit funding by $309 million below the guaranteed level is rejected.
In addition, the proposed budget provides the full amounts recommended by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). As requested in the Committee's Views and Estimates, the proposed budget provides an allocation for AIP of $3.8 billion in FY 2008, $3.9 billion in FY 2009,
$4.0 billion in FY 2010, and $4.1 billion in FY2011. This is much more realistic than the Administration's proposal to cut AIP funding to $2.75 billion in FY 2008.
I look forward to working with Chairman Spratt on continued improvements to our nation
's infrastructure, and I urge my colleagues to support the proposed budget.
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