Transportation Funding Bill Threatens Transportation Choices 
posted August 13, 2003

Before recessing for the August break, Members of the House Appropriations Committee approved an FY04 spending bill that would dismantle key transportation programs that allow local communities to provide the public with more transportation choices.  Contact your Representative while in the district during August to request a meeting and convey your concerns.

BACKGROUND

The nation's transportation law, TEA-21, set transportation policy and funding levels for each year through FY03 when passed in 1998.  Legislators are currently in the process of reauthorizing TEA-21, but have not yet acted to reauthorize or extend TEA-21 and perpetuate its programs.   In this vacuum, the Appropriations committee has taken advantage of an unusual window of opportunity to make policy and funding changes to transportation programs as they author the FY04 spending bill.  In the process, they have sparked the first real battle over what the next bill, referred to as 'TEA-3', will look like.  The proposed changes reveal an intent to dismantle key reforms established by the landmark 1991 transportation law, ISTEA.   In late July, the Appropriations Committee voted to approve H.R. 2989, (Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004), which if approved by the full House in September would lead to substantial disruption to the nation’s surface transportation systems.  

If approved by Congress, H.R. 2989 would:

-      Shut down Amtrak.  Funding for the nation’s passenger rail system amounts to $900 million, only half of the $1.8 billion needed to keep rail service a choice for Americans.  Amtrak President David Gunn's request of $1.8 billion for the new fiscal year was affirmed in a letter of support signed by 219 House Members, online at http://www.narprail.org/house6.htm.

-      Terminate the Transportation Enhancements program.   The 10 percent set-aside of Surface Transportation Program funds for bicycle, pedestrian, scenic and historic preservation projects would be eliminated.  Although this program accounts for only about 1% of overall transportation spending, it is the most popular and widespread, having supported projects in x% of the nation's counties.  Find additional details and advocacy resources online at http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/policy/tea21b.asp.

-      Stagnate transit funding while expanding highways.  H.R. 2989 would  basically hold funding for the overall transit program at the level set by TEA-21 for FY03, $7.2 billion.  Meanwhile, highway spending, set at $27.8 for the last year of TEA-21, instead got a $3.8 billion boost for $31.6 billion in FY03.  H.R. 2989 would provide another $1.7 billion boost for $33.3 billion in FY04 -- that's a 21% increase for highways above baseline levels over the past two years.  This trend undermines the overall ratio of spending on highways and transit, which was established at 80/20 in ISTEA and led to more balanced investments in the nation's transportation system.  H.R. 2989 would set an 83/17 ratio for highways and transit. 

-      Slow development of new transit systems.   The Committee report on H.R. 2989 (not the bill itself) directs the Administration to impose new criteria on “New Starts” projects (e.g. commuter and light rail projects or other fixed guideway investments) that will make it very difficult for new projects to move forward. The Committee included additional language that directs the Federal Transit Administration to fund “New Starts” projects at no more than a 50 percent federal share, despite current law which permits up to a 80 percent federal share.  Find what projects would be affected in your area in FTA's FY04 budget request, online at http://www.fta.dot.gov/library/policy/ns/ns2004/nsfy04toc.html.

-      Slash Jobs Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program funds.   Funding for this small but effective program, designed for welfare-to-work projects, was set to be $150 million in FY03, but appropriators last year diverted nearly one-third of those funds away from the program.   H.R. 2989 would cut the program even further, to $85 million for FY04.

CURRENT STATUS

The U.S. House  is expected to vote on H.R. 2989 after Congress reconvenes just after Labor Day (the Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to act but will likely do so in September). In each of the areas noted above, STPP and coalition partners are considering options to address funding shortfalls and policy changes of concern.  The threat to the Transportation Enhancements program will be addressed by an amendment to H.R. 2989.  The amendment will strike the relevant language, contained in Section 114 of the bill, in order to leave TE unchanged from TEA-21.  Another amendment will be offered to meet Amtrak’s full funding request of $1.8 billion.  On the other issues - transit funding, restrictions on New Starts projects and JARC funding - discussions are underway within the transit community and other STPP partners to explore options for action on the House floor.  Every member of the House will vote on H.R. 2989, and thus has the opportunity to ensure these concerns are fixed. 

ACTION STEPS

Fax a letter to your Representative(s) in district to request a meeting and convey your concerns.  Request a meeting during the August Recess to discuss how the House Appropriations Committee actions will affect your home district.  Find contact info online at www.congress.org.

MESSAGE POINTS ON H.R. 2989

·        Urge support for an amendment to strike section 114 and restore the Transportation Enhancements program as a ten percent set-aside of the Surface Transportation Program, an action with no fiscal impact

·        Urge support for an amendment to fully fund Amtrak (or thank Member for already supporting $1.8 billion appropriation)

·        Request support for actions that would increase overall transit funding to an 80/20 ratio with highways, maintain an 80 percent federal match for New Starts projects, and strike new policy language restricting development of New Starts projects

·        Request support for actions that would restore funding to the Jobs Access Reverse Commute (JARC) program to the baseline level

SAMPLE LETTER

Name/Address

Date

Re:  H.R. 2989, Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004

To the Honorable ______:

I am writing to you as a resident of your district and a representative of the ____ organization/coalition to express our concerns about the future of the nation's transportation program.  [Briefly describe your role in the community]  I would greatly appreciate an opportunity to meet with you during your time in the district over the August break.

H.R. 2989 would dismantle key transportation programs that allow local communities to provide the public with more transportation choices.  It rolls back programs and policies established in 1990 and forming the core structure of the current transportation law, TEA-21, which have been considered highly successful.  Reauthorization of TEA-21 is underway this year, but the Appropriations Committee is attempting to use the appropriations process to usurp the responsibilities of the authorizing committees by altering the policies and programs of the existing law, TEA-21.  Our key concerns are to stay the course with the policy framework established in TEA-21, and to protect those programs which increase choices for the public from current threats.

One such program is Transportation Enhancements.  It was created as a dedicated set-aside for projects that allow communities to increase bicycle and pedestrian access, and to develop scenic and historic preservation assets.  This program has increased federal spending on these types of projects from $6.6 million in 1990 to $330 million in 2001, levering millions in local match and private investment.  It has brought federal resources to x% of the nation's counties.  Congress established the TE program to guarantee constituents that a small percentage of their gas tax dollars would be targeted to small-scale, community-initiated, locally selected transportation projects. H.R. 2989 breaks that promise. There are several excellent examples in your district, including __________.  Please support an amendment to H.R. 2989 to strike section 144 and restore the Transportation Enhancements program as a ten percent set-aside of the Surface Transportation Program.

Another successful program is the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program, which provides local agencies resources for targeted transit and shuttle services.  In your district,  _________ is funded through JARC.  Although a small program, set for $150 million in the last year of TEA-21, H.R. 2989 would slash funding to $85 million, jeopardizing new projects. 

Perhaps the greatest success of the transportation program as it currently exists is the emphasis on balancing federal investments in highways and transit.  The New Starts program, which sets an 80% federal match for new fixed-guideway transit systems - the same as new highways - would be significantly altered by H.R. 2989.  It would reduce the federal match to 50%, and create a more burdensome process for new projects, making it more difficult for local areas to access capital funds for transit.  [Mention a New Starts project in study or future expansion that would be affected, if any].  For nearly ten years, the overall ratio of federal transportation dollars has been 80/20 highways to transit.  That ratio started to erode in FY03, and H.R. 2989 would continue the trend by flat-lining transit and boosting highway spending.  The resulting 83/17 ratio is simply inadequate to support our community's transit system, [mention recent state and local funding cuts if any]. 

[If Representative is not on the Amtrak letter of support]

In addition, H.R. 2989 provides only $900 million for Amtrak, only half of the $1.8 billion requested by Amtrak President David Gunn for FY04.   This level of funding, required to keep passenger rail service as a  travel option for Americans, was affirmed in a letter of support signed by 219 Members of the House of Representatives.  [Elaborate on how termination of service would affect your area, ie stations that would close]

[If Representative has signed Amtrak letter]

In addition, H.R. 2989 provides only $900 million for Amtrak, only half of the $1.8 billion requested by Amtrak President David Gunn for FY04.   We are glad to see that you have joined 218 other House Members in support of fully funding this budget request.  Please support an amendment to H.R. 2989 to fully fund Amtrak, and support efforts to improve the viability of passenger rail, as it is a critical mode connecting cities in our region/nation.

I appreciate your attention to these concerns, and would like to discuss them further in person.  I may be contacted at __________ to schedule a visit in your district office before you return to Washington to vote on this bill in September.  Please keep me informed as to how you will act on these concerns.