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ATU Action Weekly Update -
2/11/08
Bush
Shortchanges Transit, Again
Last week, President Bush put forth his final budget
proposal. It would cut $202.1 million for public
transportation and proposes to transfer an estimated $3.2
billion dedicated for transit to fund highway projects.
The Administration proposal would reduce the balance in the
Mass Transit Account to the point where, absent new funding, the
federal transit program could not be funded in 2010 at even the
current level.
ATU and its partners in the transit industry are calling
on Congress to reject the proposal and fully fund public
transportation at the $10.3 billion level for FY 2009.
In addition, the President proposes only $175 million for
transit security grants, despite signing legislation last year
that called for $750 million in transit security grants for
FY 2009. By funding less than 25% of what Congress and the
President himself recognized to be the appropriate level of
investment in our nation's transit system, this budget does far
too little to protect Americans from the risk of terrorism
during their daily commutes.
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Banking Committee
(with jurisidiction over transit issues) said that he will "do
everything in my capacity as Banking Committee Chairman to
protect the working Americans whose future is compromised by
this year's budget proposal."
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