[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        AVIATION INVESTMENT AND REFORM ACT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 15, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1000) to 
     amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs 
     of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I regretfully rise in opposition to 
H.R. 1000. Our country's aviation system is integral to our nation's 
transportation system and there's no question we need to continue to 
invest in America's aviation infrastructure.
  The problem is that this bill takes the Aviation Trust Fund ``off-
budget'' which means aviation taxes cannot be used for any other 
purpose, creating what's called a firewall around billions of dollars 
in aviation taxes. As a former member of the Budget Committee and a 
current member of the Appropriations Committee, I can safely say this 
makes a mockery of the budget process and threatens our surplus.
  Supporters of the bill argue that since the money in the aviation 
trust fund comes from aviation taxes, it should all be spent for 
aviation purposes. As a matter of tax fairness, federal taxes should be 
spent for their intended purposes.
  But this is simply a red-herring argument to justify placing aviation 
spending at the absolute head of the line in competition for federal 
funds. Furthermore, taking the trust fund off-budget means that there 
would be no budgetary constraints to control aviation spending.
  This is troubling for two reasons.
  First, why are we exempting aviation programs from the normal budget 
scrutiny that all other programs must endure? Do we really want to 
place aviation funding ahead of all other federal priorities such as 
education, health care, Medicare, or national defense?
  Second, taking the trust fund off-budget means we jeopardize our 
surplus. AIR-21 will spend $14.3 billion more over five years on 
airport construction, busting the budget caps. This additional funding, 
since it's not subject to the normal budget rules which require 
offsets, will be paid out of the surplus. While Republicans may be 
confused as to what their priorities are, Democrats are unified that 
any budget surplus should be dedicated to shoring up Social Security 
and Medicare.
  Let's be clear. This bill is nothing more than an attempt to put one 
small part of the budget ahead of the other. At the same time, it busts 
our spending caps, eviscerates any notion of reasonable fiscal 
discipline and handicaps our ability to preserve the surplus.
  If Congress feels we should increase the nation's investment in 
aviation, let's do that. But let's not permanently put one category of 
spending ahead of another. In the spirit of budget discipline and 
fairness, I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.

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