DOT Budget may be chopped by 13%
President Trump’s proposed federal budget blueprint would cut funding by $2.4 billion, or 13% of its current budget.
“The Budget request reflects a streamlined DOT that is focused on performing vital Federal safety oversight functions and investing in nationally and regionally significant transportation infrastructure projects,” the budget document says.
“The Budget reduces or eliminates programs that are either inefficient, duplicative of other Federal efforts, or that involve activities that are better delivered by States, localities, or the private sector.”
The blueprint eliminates all funding from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, which came from the Obama administration’s 2009 economic stimulus package to provide an extra injection of cash for surface transportation projects. Doing so would save $499 million per year, according to the blueprint.
Although newly appointed Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao has expressed support of TIGER grants, they have generally been unpopular with Republicans who have sought to eliminate or reduce the grants in previous spending bills.
Democratic senator Bill Nelson, a ranking member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said last week, “Department of Transportation TIGER grants are something that are considered essential to rehabbing our infrastructure.”
