(Download
in Adobe PDF Format)
June 6, 2005
The Honorable Don Young
Chairman
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2111 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0201
Dear Chairman Young:
I write on behalf of the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) 1,500 member organizations to convey APTA's views on some of the key issues in the transit title of H.R. 3, the bill to reauthorize federal transit and highway programs through FY 2009, as House and Senate conferees begin to develop a conference agreement on the respective bills.
First, APTA strongly supports the six-year investment level of $293.8 billion in the Senate-passed bill, which includes $53.8 billion in guaranteed funding for the federal transit program. This level of investment is critical to help address the nation's demand for new and enhanced public transportation service and maximizes the transit industry's ability to improve the economy and meet other important national goals. We understand that federal resources are scarce and agree with the Administration's position that increased spending not adversely affect the federal deficit. We believe the Senate-passed bill meets this goal through appropriate offsets, and we encourage the conference committee to take advantage of these provisions to enact the maximum possible funding level for the federal transit and highway programs.
Second, we strongly support the preservation of highway and transit funding guarantees that were so important to the success of TEA 21. It is more critical than ever that the funding guarantees protect both the Mass Transit Account and General Fund components of the federal transit program so that all elements of the transit program are adequately funded.
Third, we strongly support maintaining the modal balance between transit and highway investment established under the funding levels in each bill. Such funding levels insure that adequate investment is provided for all elements of our surface transportation system.
There are other important provisions in the House and Senate bills that APTA supports, and APTA will continue to work with committee staff in communicating our positions in that regard. APTA's members worked for more than three years to develop transit industry consensus positions that are included in our TEA 21 Reauthorization Recommendations An Investment in America. Those recommendations will continue to guide APTA's views, and we encourage the conferees to adopt positions as close to APTA's recommendations as possible.
Finally, we thank you for your consideration of APTA's views and we urge you to act quickly to conclude the conference committee's deliberations and get a bill to the President's desk as soon as possible. Should you have questions about these or other issues please have your staff contact Rob Healy of APTA's Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4811 or email rhealy@apta.com.
Sincerely yours,
William
W. Millar
President
WWM/tjj
Some of these pages may include links to documents in the Adobe PDF format. Please download the Adobe PDF reader if you have not already done so.
