Lowey statement on Department of Transportation 2016 budget request

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to welcome Secretary Anthony Foxx and thank him for coming before our committee today.

The programs under the jurisdiction of this subcommittee are some of the most important, and are a prime illustration of how indiscriminate budget cutting has had a massive impact across this entire nation. Our infrastructure needs simply cannot be ignored any longer.

The President has requested a robust increase for this bill in Fiscal Year 2016, calling on Congress to provide the critical investments necessary to accelerate and sustain economic growth. His overall budget calls for investments in research, education, training, and infrastructure – all vitally important and all interconnected.

The President has also called for the end of the mindless austerity of sequestration, urging Congress to replace it with more targeted spending cuts, program integrity measures, and the closure of some outdated tax loopholes.

The effects of sequestration were immense, and are still being felt. Critical training was postponed; investments were put-off; and research abruptly halted. It was a worst-case scenario that never should have happened and absolutely should never be repeated.

Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have differences with the President on how we get there, but the art of compromise must be achieved again. The Murray-Ryan plan was not perfect, but does provide a path forward for another budget deal. Without such an agreement, our appropriations process is deeply imperiled. Discretionary funding is falling to its lowest level since the Eisenhower Administration.

The Transportation, HUD bill is a prime example of how badly needed these investments are right now. Almost every day we see evidence of our crumbling infrastructure: failing bridges, train derailments, outdated aviation systems, and congested roadways. I hear about problems in my district every weekend, as I'm sure all of my colleagues do, too.

The FY 2016 budget request for the Department of Transportation is nearly $95 billion, which is about 31% percent above last year's enacted level. The request includes major increases for our rail systems, highway, and transit programs.

I sincerely hope we can provide much of these requested increases, which will help our communities tackle some of the most pressing transportation needs. My region in particular desperately needs these investments. As I know you're aware, Mr. Secretary, the Tappan Zee Bridge was featured very prominently on the cover of the President's 2016 budget submission [hold up cover of budget]. I was also pleased the bridge was chosen as a backdrop to an earlier presidential visit highlighting a new infrastructure program. This high visibility, I hope, confirms this administration's commitment to working with me and the New York region to securing funding for the new replacement bridge. It remains one of my top legislative priorities and I'm glad to see it is also yours.

We must also be mindful of the critical role that the Department of Transportation plays with regard to safety. For example, the tragic grade crossing crash in my district earlier this month underscores that we must enlist a multifaceted approach - eliminating grade crossings where we can, developing new technologies that will identify obstructions, educating drivers, and ensuring that the Federal Railroad Administration has a robust inspection staff to identify hazardous crossings. The tremendous growth in the transport of crude oil is another area of great concern. The failure of the tank cars in West Virginia calls further attention to the fact that we must strengthen the integrity of the tank cars that carry these dangerously explosive materials. The Department must move aggressively to issue the final tank car design rule.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.