[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 10, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 9, 2003

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2989) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Transportation and 
     Treasury, and independent agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2004, and for other purposes:

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, today, as we consider the FY04 
appropriations bill for the Departments of Transportation and Treasury, 
I find myself facing a familiar dilemma. So often during consideration 
of appropriations bills, I, as I'm sure many of my colleagues do as 
well, face difficult choices when voting on final passage. Because 
appropriations bills often include so many provisions, there are always 
positives and negatives. It is the nature of appropriations bills that 
we are forced to determine whether or not the good outweighs the bad.
  As we prepare to vote on final passage of this bill, a similar 
assessment has to be made. I am deeply disappointed in many parts of 
this bill, most notably the less than minimal funding for Amtrak. 
However, because the bill also has very important funding for New 
Mexico and the Nation, I will be voting in favor of passage. I cannot 
let the perfect--which this bill clearly is not--be the enemy of the 
good--which this bill is.
  Before I do cast my vote, I would like to voice my displeasure with 
both the funding provided for Amtrak, and also for the flawed process. 
Not surprisingly, the Rules Committee has once again stifled debate by 
not allowing Mr. Olver to offer his amendment to increase Amtrak 
funding by $500 million. The $900 million included in the bill is 
insufficient to ensure the solvency of an essential element of our 
national transportation network. Should Amtrak be unable to continue 
its important service, not only would our transportation system be 
severely weakened, but many communities that heavily rely on Amtrak and 
its passengers for economic sustainability would be devastated. Many 
communities in New Mexico are heavily reliant on Amtrak for their 
economic well-being, and they would badly struggle without it.
  However, as I said earlier, there are often many positives along with 
the negatives in an appropriations bill, and this bill is no exception. 
Overall, the FY04 Appropriations bill before us provides a 3 percent 
increase over last years bill, and provides 4 percent more funding than 
the administration proposed. In addition, the bill provides $34.6 
billion in total highway funding, 7 percent more than current funding 
and 14 percent more than requested. The bill also provides $7.2 billion 
for mass transit programs and $500 million for election reform 
activities authorized by the 2002 Federal election standards overhaul 
law.
  I strongly support these provisions and recognize how important the 
funding provided in this bill is for investment in the Nation's 
highway, transit and aviation programs, which are all so critical to 
our safety and homeland security efforts, as well as to economic 
development. Therefore, I support this legislation. However, I will 
vote in support of this bill with the strong hope that the insufficient 
Amtrak funding will be addressed in conference.

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