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This Statement of Administration Policy provides the
Administration's views on the Transportation and Related Agencies
Appropriations Bill, FY 2001, as reported by the House Committee. As the House
develops its version of the bill, your consideration of the Administration's
views would be appreciated.
The Administration appreciates the Committee's efforts to
accommodate many of the Administration's priorities in its bill. These include
needed Amtrak capital funding, the highway and transit funding levels
envisioned at the time of passage of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
century (TEA-21), and funding to expand motor carrier safety programs and
address Coast Guard readiness and expand its operations.
The Administration proposes to meet important safety, mobility,
and environmental requirements, including expanded intercity passenger rail
service, by reallocating a portion of the increased spending permitted by the
higher-than-anticipated highway excise tax receipts. Under this proposal, every
State would receive at least as much funding as was assumed when TEA-21 was
enacted. Last year, Congress chose to use the Transportation appropriations
bill to redistribute almost $1.5 billion in funding within the highway
"guarantee" in a manner different than that contemplated in TEA-21. The House
is encouraged to redistribute a similar amount this year to support these
important priorities.
In particular, as noted below, the Administration is concerned
that the Committee bill could adversely impact the Federal Aviation
Administration's (FAA's) operations as well as highway and pipeline safety
programs.
The following highlights our specific concerns with the
Committee bill. We look forward to working with you to resolve these issues as
the bill moves forward.
Aviation Safety
The Administration strongly urges the House to fully fund the
Administration's request for FAA Operations. The Committee has provided $48
million less than the Administration's request, and added $11 million in
unrequested items, resulting in $59 million in FAA programs being unfunded.
This would force the FAA to reduce telecommunications, radar operations, and
other services necessary to maintain a safe, efficient air traffic control
system.
CAFE Standards
In recent years, the United States has had a significant
increase in transportation fuel consumption and a corresponding increase in
U.S. energy vulnerability. As a result of prohibitions enacted by Congress in
recent years on working on the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards,
the Department of Transportation has been banned from fully analyzing this
important issue. The Administration strongly opposes the Committee provision
that continues this prohibition. In the past, CAFE standards have resulted in a
doubling of the fuel economy of the car fleet, reducing our dependence on
foreign oil and saving the Nation billions of gallons of oil and the consumer
billions of dollars. Continuing this misguided prohibition would contribute to
more energy consumption, and therefore would increase both environmental and
energy security risks.
Highway and Pipeline Safety
The Administration is concerned that the Committee has provided
$105 million less than the President has requested for the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration's Operations and Research account. This funding
reduction would limit critical research on crash worthiness and prevent the
implementation of important new programs to increase seat belt use and target
high-risk groups. The Administration is also concerned that the Committee has
provided $4.5 million less than requested to enhance pipeline safety.
Delta Initiative
The Administration strongly objects to the Committee's failure
to provide the $69 million requested for the Mississippi Delta initiative. This
comprehensive initiative is necessary to address the social and economic
challenges facing the Delta region. Although the Delta has seen some economic
progress, it remains far behind most of the rest of the country. In the Delta's
distressed counties, per capita income is only 53 percent of the national
average, and the poverty rate is more than twice national average. In more than
half of the Delta's counties, the poverty rate has exceeded 20 percent for each
of the past 40 years. In some Delta counties, unemployment rates are two to
three times higher than the national average. Better transportation
infrastructure and services are central to improving the lives of, and
increasing the opportunities for Delta residents by providing access to
employment, child care, and training.
Native Americans
The House is requested to provide the full $358 million request
to improve transportation services to Native Americans and to allow tribal
governments to apply directly for Job Access grants. These funds will be used
to address the $4 billion backlog of improvements needed on Indian reservation
roads, improve highway safety, and provide welfare recipients with needed
access to jobs and improved construction training opportunities. In addition,
the Administration urges the House to restore the $5 million for design and
preliminary engineering of the Four Bears Bridge in North Dakota.
Pennsylvania Station
The Administration strongly opposes the Committee's proposed
rescission of $60 million for the Farley/Pennsylvania Station project. Such a
rescission would jeopardize the project's complex financing package. This
project will generate significant transportation and economic benefits. Its
timely completion is essential to respond effectively to the significant rail
ridership increases projected for the Northeast corridor in the near future.
Job Access and Reverse Commute
The House is urged to provide the additional $50 million
requested for the Job Access and Reverse Commute program, which is a critical
component of the Administration's welfare-to-work effort. This program is
oversubscribed now. Demand is expected to increase as more communities across
the country demonstrate how effective the program can be in helping
hard-pressed working families, including former welfare recipients, get to
work.
Office of the Secretary
The Administration urges the House to provide the President's
request of $69 million for the Office of the Secretary and to delete the
limitation on political appointees and other restrictions. These adjustments
are necessary to provide the Secretary with the resources and flexibility to
manage the Department effectively.
Kyoto Protocol
The Administration is concerned that the House may add language
that has been added in another appropriations bill in the House this year
regarding the Kyoto protocol and climate change. This language is unacceptable
and may well be unconstitutional. The Administration will not accept any
appropriations language that limits activities under current law to reduce
greenhouse gasses, or that restricts the President's constitutional authority
to negotiate international agreements. As we have stated many times, the
Administration has not, and will not, attempt to implement the Kyoto Protocol
prior to ratification. Consequently, such language should not be added since it
would be unwarranted, disruptive, and could be interpreted as
unconstitutionally preventing the Department of Transportation from assisting
the President in carrying out his constitutional authority to conduct
international negotiations.
Earmarking
The Administration strongly objects to the Committee's excessive
earmarking of discretionary programs. These funds should be distributed based
on merit.
Infringement on Executive Authority
The Administration objects to a number of provisions in the bill
that would require congressional approval before Executive Branch execution.
The Administration will interpret these provisions to require only notification
of Congress, since any other interpretation would contradict the Supreme Court
ruling in INS v. Chadha. |
