[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 124 (Friday, July 28, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2002) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Transportation and 
     related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1996, and for other purposes:

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to articulate my objections to the 
Transportation appropriations bill.
  In my view, H.R. 2002, next year's funding bill, takes our Nation in 
the wrong direction on transportation policy. This is particularly true 
for New York City, because the bill imposes devastating cuts on the 
mass transit budget.
  The bill passed by the House increases funding for our highway system 
by over $800 million while at the same time decreasing funding for mass 
transit by $500 million--a 20 percent reduction over last year's 
budget.
  The impact of these cuts on New York City will be dramatic. 
Currently, the city receives $87.5 million in mass transit operating 
assistance funding. This will be slashed by over $38 million--an 
incredible 44 percent cut. The city estimates that it will lose another 
$40.7 million in Federal capital assistance funding.
  In addition to these general budget cuts, I'm particularly displeased 
that the appropriators removed $40 million in funding to renovate Penn 
Station that was in the President's budget. Without this funding, we 
will be unable to continue with our efforts to replace the aging 
central train station in New York with the refurbished station that our 
city and the millions of passengers so desperately need.
  In addition, over $30 million in cuts to Amtrak will reduce the 
ability of our citizens to travel up and down the heavily used east 
coast routes between Washington, New York, and Boston.
  For those of us who represent urban and suburban communities, it is 
clear that mass transit must be a priority, and that we should be 
investing in services and technologies which will make our buses and 
trains run more efficiently and more safely. Mass transit moves 
millions of Americans to and from their jobs each day. It is also the 
only transportation alternative available to seniors on fixed incomes 
and students getting to school. Under the bill, subway and bus fares 
would most likely increase dramatically, effectively putting travel out 
of the reach of those who most need it.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to express my support for the objectives 
of my colleagues from the Philadelphia area, Mr. Foglietta and Mr. Fox, 
who sought to offer amendments to restore mass transit operating 
subsidies. In the end, however, I could not vote for their amendment 
because, rather than shifting money from the highway fund, it took 
money from the Federal aviation authority. With New York's airports in 
dire need of assistance, I could not in good conscience vote to help 
one important element of our infrastructure by harming another.
  As this bill moves on to the Senate and then to the President's desk, 
I will fight hard to restore as much funding for mass transit as 
possible.


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