The Chairman received an impossible allocation and the bill we are considering today does not adequately address the infrastructure and housing needs that were articulated during our hearing process.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
I want to begin by thanking you and your staff for always being willing to listen to our concerns and for keeping an open dialogue as we have moved through the process.
We had a good series of oversight and budget hearings earlier this year that highlighted many of the challenges facing our nation's transportation and housing programs.
Unfortunately, the Chairman received an impossible allocation and the bill we are considering today does not adequately address the infrastructure and housing needs that were articulated during our hearing process.
As a result, the FY 2014 bill makes deep cuts to the capital programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, Amtrak and the Federal Transit Administration's capital investment grant program.
Within HUD, the bill reduces funding for the Community Development Block Grant program to $1.6 billion, which is the lowest level since the program was created in 1975. The HOME program is funded at $700 million, the lowest level since the program began in 1992.
We ought to be investing more resources to:
- modernize our air traffic control system;
- improve the service and reliability of our passenger rail system;
- reduce congestion through the development of new transit systems; and,
- revitalize our communities through the CDBG program.
Finally, I do want to commend the Chairman for funding the critical safety missions of the Department of Transportation and for honoring the obligation limitations in the surface and aviation bills. In addition, while there are reductions to FAA's operations account, I hope there are sufficient funds to avoid additional furloughs. The Chairman has also included sufficient funding to move 10,000 more homeless veterans off the streets and into housing.
Despite the Chairman's efforts, I have great concerns with the bill as it is currently written. I am hopeful that we can achieve a more realistic allocation as the appropriations process moves forward this year.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
