Transportation is an essential element of our nation’s prosperity. Our transportation infrastructure provides the means to efficiently move goods and people across our country, from New York to Hawaii, and around the globe. More than simply facilitating all aspects of our economy, our transportation resources provide a freedom of mobility that defines our national character.  

 

While the U.S. transportation system is world class in many respects, it is an aging system that has reached, and in some cases clearly exceeded, the limits of its capacity. The tragic collapse of the Minneapolis highway bridge last summer highlights our nation’s growing infrastructure problems. 

 

Much of America’s transportation infrastructure, highways, bridges, railroad, and ports, were built at the beginning or middle of the last century, and have outlived their safe and productive lives. Numerous airports and our national airspace system are approaching or have reached full capacity.

 

Congestion continues to grow on our highways and our railways, at our ports, and within our aviation system. The truth of the matter is that without strong action, we face a future of ever-expanding gridlock. Our nation’s transportation capacity must be expanded throughout all modes or our economy, our citizen’s personal mobility, and our ability to compete in today’s global marketplace, will suffer drastically.

 

For more than 50 years, we have been reaping the benefits of bold transportation investments made by our predecessors in government and industry. The time has come for today’s leaders to make a similar commitment to the future prosperity of our nation.  We must unite around expanding and improving our highway, aviation, rail, and port infrastructure. We must work together to improve the safety and satisfaction of the traveling public. Finally, we must manage each of these modes of transportation as part of a complete system that is dedicated to serving the needs of the nation, and not the desires of individual companies.

 

I am confident that the Department of Transportation (DOT) can meet these challenges, if given the proper resources and direction from the President. The United States has always been a world leader in transportation, but I must say that I have mixed feelings about our ability to aggressively address the nation’s transportation needs after reviewing the Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 DOT budget proposal.

 

On a positive note, the Bush Administration has proposed funding levels for the pipeline and motor carrier safety programs consistent with authorized levels, as well as a significant increase in funding to modernize the air traffic control system. 

 

On the other hand, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration only received a small increase in its operations budget, which unfortunately does not take into account the resources necessary to implement the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program. Even more troubling is the fact that the White House continues to propose deep cuts in funding for Amtrak and airport infrastructure programs that Congress has consistently funded at higher levels.

 

Any DOT budget proposal that moves through this Congress must provide sufficient funding to rehabilitate existing infrastructure, expand the system to accommodate growing use, and maintain the highest level of safety possible.

 

I assure you that the Commerce Committee will be tracking the DOT’s performance closely in this final year of the Administration, and I look forward to working with you to ensure that DOT policy continues to focus on meeting these goals.