FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Contact: Bill Adams
Tel.: (202) 366-5580
DOT 38-01
U.S. Transportation
Secretary Mineta Outlines Fiscal 2002 Transportation Budget Before House
Appropriations Subcommittee
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, addressing the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, today outlined President Bush’s proposed $59.5 billion fiscal 2002 budget for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the challenges that face the nation’s transportation system.
“Reducing congestion is one of President Bush’s top transportation priorities,” Secretary Mineta said. “We face enormous transportation challenges, but our biggest challenge is to get everyone working together in a spirit of partnership to solve these problems. As Secretary, I intend to devote the bulk of my energies to working across party lines, reaching across divides, and building consensus to achieve solutions.”
The $59.5 billion budget represents a 6 percent increase over fiscal 2001 when last year’s one-time projects, which total over $2.8 billion, are subtracted.
Secretary Mineta stressed that safety is the department’s number one priority, and that the budget includes over $7 billion for safety programs, including a total of $400 million to reduce motor carrier fatalities. The proposed budget includes an increased investment of $88 million for state and federal enforcement activities and inspection infrastructure to support opening the southern border.
The budget includes full funding for highway and transit guarantees under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), with highway funding increased by 6 percent from 2001 and transit up by nearly 8 percent. Funding for programs under the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) would receive a 6 percent increase.
In addition, the budget includes $521 million for Amtrak capital programs, and $145 million for the President’s New Freedom Initiative to ensure transportation alternatives for people with disabilities.
The budget funds activities to implement the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act, which requires updating tire safety standards, increasing crash data collection, developing dynamic rollover tests and improving the safety of child restraints.
In an effort to reach the goal of an 80 percent reduction in fatal U.S. aviation accidents by 2007, aviation safety funding would increase 4 percent to over $4 billion, including $112 million -- up 13 percent from 2001 -- to prevent runway incursions.
Funding for rail safety programs would increase 9 percent to $154 million, the U.S. Coast Guard’s search and rescue programs 12 percent to over $1 billion, and pipeline safety 15 percent to $54 million.
The budget provides resources to ease transportation congestion, which is caused by the gap between demand for transportation and the capacity of transportation infrastructure. Total investment in transportation infrastructure would reach almost $43 billion in 2002, up 39 percent from the average annual investment between 1994 and 2001. A total of $2.9 billion is proposed for aviation capital modernization, including funding for delay reduction initiatives such as better weather systems and improved automation aids. In addition, the budget includes $253 million for Intelligent Transportation Systems, up 32 percent.
A total of $6.6 billion is proposed to lessen the environmental effects of transportation, including the Coast Guard’s response to oil spills and the Maritime Administration’s disposal of obsolete vessels.
DOT’s critical role in national security is enhanced by the budget proposal. In support of the President’s drug control strategy, funding for the Coast Guard’s drug law enforcement activities increases 19 percent to $759 million.
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