Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015
Floor Speech
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Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, at a time when Congress should be working together to make long-term investments in our crumbling infrastructure, today's T-HUD bill compromises our ability to meet the transportation needs of our local communities.
This bill significantly cuts funding to one of the Nation's most vital transportation programs--TIGER grants. Even worse, this bill significantly changes TIGER grant eligibility to prevent the funding for public transit, bike, and pedestrian projects. The significant funding and eligibility changes this bill makes have left this important program without any teeth. It seems that ``TIGER'' is no longer a fitting name. Instead, we should be referring to this bill's National Infrastructure Investments program simply as ``kitten grants.''
TIGER grants support critical projects that are driving economic growth and job creation across America. This bill includes only $100 million for TIGER grants, which is a reduction of more than 80 percent from this year's funding level. This move is ridiculous given that the current funding level can't even keep up with the demand of an incredibly popular program. Already, in the current grant application round, the U.S. Department of Transportation has received nearly 800 applications that are requesting a total of $9.5 billion--a request of more than 15 times what can be awarded. Additionally, the bill includes a bad policy rider with language that restricts TIGER eligibility to roads, highways, bridges, freight rail, and ports. This would be a devastating change for a wide variety of innovative projects that include public transportation, passenger rail, and bicycle and pedestrian programs.
TIGER grants help us modernize our transportation and infrastructure and create the 21st century highway and public transit systems America desperately needs, and nowhere are these programs needed more than in cities like my hometown of Chicago. Back home, TIGER grants have supported updates to the Chicago Transit Authority, have advanced the sustainable transportation efforts of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and local bike share programs, and have helped fund the Elgin O'Hare Western Access Project. Investing in a 21st century transportation system is essential for our economy, and more importantly, it will create jobs. Remember that every billion dollars invested in our infrastructure creates 30,000 jobs.
I joined the House Committee on Appropriations to make the tough funding choices that shape our national priorities, but this year's budget allocations have only taken that power away from us, forcing us to vote on a bill that drastically cuts vital services that people around the country depend upon. As we consider the T-HUD bill, we must stand together and demand Congress take action on long-term, smart investments that will move our people and our country forward.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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