REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
STATEMENT
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON
BANKING,
HOUSING & URBAN AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES
SENATE
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
MARCH 13, 2002
10:00 AM
Mr. Chairman,
Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today
about public transportation provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the
21st Century, or TEA-21.
All of us at the
Department of Transportation, and throughout the Bush Administration, look
forward to working with the Members of this Committee, and with the Congress as
a whole, in shaping proposals for the reauthorization of this important
legislation.
Today, America’s
transportation sector faces a period not only of extraordinary challenge, but
also of extraordinary opportunity. As
you know, the horrific events of September 11th, as well as the
ongoing process of recovery and rebuilding, have reaffirmed the critical
importance of our public transportation systems to the security of every
American, and to our Nation’s economic well-being.
Shortly after
September 11th, the Federal Transit Administration launched a major
security initiative, working with transit agencies across the Nation to identify
high risk/high consequence assets, and to determine how best to mitigate those
risks.
This new security
initiative added to the overwhelming success of the transportation systems
supporting the 2002 Winter Olympics last month, moving record numbers of users
to and from multiple venues over a 17-day period without a serious security
incident.
The Committee
wisely begins the reauthorization process by looking to the lessons of TEA-21.
TEA-21 strengthened our public transit systems in five distinct areas:
1) the predictability,
equity and flexibility of funding; 2)
safety; 3)
mobility and system upgrading;
4) the application of
innovative technologies; and, 5) improving
the quality of life.
This morning, I
will touch very briefly on some of these points.
My written testimony expands on each of these five areas.
TEA-21
revolutionized transportation funding and authorized record levels of investment
for transportation. The minimum guarantees and budgetary firewalls have created
confidence among grantees regarding federal funding, an extremely important
aspect of program delivery for state and local officials.
Just as
importantly, the funding flexibility Congress first incorporated in ISTEA, the
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, then continued in
TEA-21, allows state and local decision-makers to consider a variety of
transportation options, enabling them to tailor their transportation choices to
meet the unique needs of their local community.
Indeed, over $7.7 billion has been transferred from title 23 programs to
public transportation programs, providing critical resources to supplement the
basic public transportation authorization levels.
The dramatically
increased funding under TEA-21 has improved America’s mobility by upgrading
the condition of our public transit systems.
As a direct result, public transportation use has increased by over 28 percent
since 1993, the fastest growth rate among all forms of surface transportation.
In fact APTA just reported that transit use grew 2% last year even in the
face of the events of September 11 and a downturn in the economy.
In short, the
programmatic and financial initiatives of ISTEA and TEA-21 provide a solid
foundation upon which we can build reauthorization legislation.
However, we have an opportunity –
indeed, an obligation – to
do even better.
As we move forward
with reauthorization, I have asked DOT to adhere to certain core principles and
values.
We must continue to
assure adequate and predictable funding for investment in the Nation’s surface
transportation system.
We must preserve
funding flexibility to allow the broadest application of funds to the best
transportation solutions identified by our state and local partners.
We must build on
the intermodal approaches of ISTEA and TEA-21.
We must expand and
improve the programs of innovative financing, so as to encourage private sector
investment in the transportation system, and look for other inventive means to
augment existing revenue streams.
We must emphasize
the security of the Nation’s surface transportation system, providing the
means and the mechanisms to perform risk assessment and analysis, incident
identification, response, and when necessary, evacuation.
We must continue to
make substantial improvements in safety.
We must develop and
deploy innovative technology, fostering “intelligent everything” in surface
transportation.
Finally, we must
simplify Federal transportation programs, continuing efforts to streamline
project approval and implementation, and focusing on the management and
performance of the system as a whole, rather than on its inputs or component
parts.
We at the
Department of Transportation look forward to working with Members of the
Committee, with both Houses of Congress, with state and local officials, with
tribal governments and with other stakeholders in shaping this surface
transportation reauthorization legislation.
This is a moment of
great opportunity, a moment we must not let pass us by.
I am confident that, by working together, we can build on the lessons
learned form ISTEA and TEA-21 to develop reauthorization legislation that will
best serve the American people.
Again, Mr.
Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify before the Committee today.
I look forward to responding to any questions you may have.
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