Contacts:
Matt Jeanneret 202-289-4434 mjeanneret@artba.org	Print this page

Washington, D.C. [February 1, 2001] - The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) urged President Bush January 31 to fully fund the nation's highway, mass transit and airport programs in the Administration's upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2002 budget proposal.

"In recent years, few issues have drawn such overwhelming bipartisan support as 1998's Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and 2000's Air Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21)," ARTBA President Pete Ruane said in a letter to the president. "As Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta said in his confirmation hearing, TEA-21 and AIR-21 were significant steps forward in addressing the nation's transportation capital needs."

TEA-21 ties annual highway investment to incoming federal highway user fee revenues-primarily from the motor fuels excise. With gas tax revenues surging, under TEA-21's Revenue Aligned Budget Authority (RABA) provision, the FY 2002 highway program should exceed $32 billion ($2 billion more than FY 2001's record federal investment level).

"Fully funding TEA-21 and AIR-21 in your FY 2002 budget proposal would further demonstrate your support for critical surface transportation investments," Ruane told President Bush. "This action would reiterate the 2000 Republic Party Platform position that all transportation trust fund revenues should be used solely for improving the nation's highway, transit and aviation networks."

The Bush Administration reportedly plans to issue its budget blueprint at the end of February, laying out policies and principles, but few programmatic details. An appendix, which is said to include program details, is scheduled for late March or early April. This later document is expected to provide the exact figures for the FY 2002 RABA adjustment and other transportation investment levels.

ARTBA will participate in a February 7 meeting with the bipartisan leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to discuss FY 2002 budget issues that impact the federal transportation programs.