February 14, 2011

Rahall: Republicans Cashing Out Investments in America’s Future Won’t Retire Debts of the Past

--House Republican Spending Bill Proposes Draconian and Dangerous Cuts to Job-Creating Transportation Investments, Threatening Over 300,000 American Jobs--

Washington, D.C.– House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) today slammed the House Republican Leadership’s spending bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011, which proposes draconian and dangerous cuts to programs that keep America’s economy moving forward.  The House is expected to begin debate on the measure Tuesday.

“There is absolutely no doubt we need to tighten our budgetary belt, but swinging a meat ax willy nilly at transportation funding will cut the job-creating muscle of the budget right down to the bone when we should be focusing on the fat,” said Rahall.  “Every single federal dollar spent should undergo strict scrutiny and while it may appear penny-wise to slash funding straight across the board, it is pound-foolish to jeopardize America’s long-term economic recovery by hamstringing investments that create jobs, grow our economy, and foster private-sector growth.”

The Republican spending bill proposes to slash more than $18 billion from transportation and infrastructure investments.  The bill would cut the heart out of critical programs that increase efficiency of commerce, reduce fuel consumption, create jobs, and bolster our Nation’s economic recovery.

“Budgets are about priorities – while Republicans want to rollback investments that move America forward, the President today unveiled a budget that forces Washington to live within its means so we can continue to invest in America’s future,” said Rahall.  “Plain and simple, transportation investments put Americans back to work – creating jobs for today and jobs for the future.”

The Republican spending proposal would gut key investments in roads and bridges that are critical for businesses to grow and to create good-paying jobs in the US.  Republicans are proposing to rescind $2.5 billion for high-speed rail projects that have already been awarded; give pink slips to 25,000 new construction jobs and cancel 76 projects in 40 states; and throw $234 million on the chopping that would be used to improve our Nation’s air traffic control system.  The Republican proposal would also slice funding for wastewater treatment facilities and sewer lines by two-thirds, jeopardizing nearly 40,000 American jobs.

“You would certainly be lighter on your feet if you sawed off part of your thigh but that doesn’t mean you are going to run any faster.  There isn’t a single business out there that has become successful without investing in itself, and if we stop investing in America’s future it is ridiculous to think we can retire the debt of the past,” said Rahall.  “Reducing our transportation investments could jeopardize our leadership in the worldwide economy and that simply is not the road we can afford to go down right now.”          

H.R. 1
State-by-State Cuts to Clean Water State Revolving Fund Investments

Prepared by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Democratic Staff
February 14, 2011

State

FY 2010
Enacted

H.R. 1
Funding Level

FY 2010 Enacted
and H.R. 1
Difference

Jobs Lost
Under H.R. 1

Alabama

$23,189,457

$7,596,357

-$15,593,100

-434

Alaska

12,411,807

4,019,359

-8,392,448

-234

Arizona

14,007,055

4,548,806

-9,458,249

-263

Arkansas

13,566,774

4,402,681

-9,164,093

-255

California

148,317,097

48,732,760

-99,584,337

-2,772

Colorado

16,587,302

5,405,165

-11,182,137

-311

Connecticut

25,405,193

8,331,738

-17,073,455

-475

Delaware

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Dist. of Columbia

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Florida

70,000,460

23,000,151

-47,000,309

-1,308

Georgia

35,062,688

11,520,598

-23,542,091

-655

Hawaii

16,061,013

5,230,495

-10,830,518

-302

Idaho

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Illinois

93,789,927

30,816,690

-62,973,237

-1,753

Indiana

49,978,973

16,421,663

-33,557,310

-934

Iowa

28,067,352

9,215,283

-18,852,069

-525

Kansas

18,719,077

6,112,681

-12,606,396

-351

Kentucky

26,394,288

8,660,009

-17,734,279

-494

Louisiana

22,796,277

7,465,864

-15,330,413

-427

Maine

16,052,822

5,227,776

-10,825,045

-301

Maryland

50,155,085

16,479,528

-33,675,557

-937

Massachusetts

70,410,023

23,134,722

-47,275,301

-1,316

Michigan

89,168,009

29,298,060

-59,869,949

-1,667

Minnesota

38,115,981

12,523,822

-25,592,158

-712

Mississippi

18,684,264

6,101,127

-12,583,137

-350

Missouri

57,488,310

18,889,016

-38,599,294

-1,075

Montana

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Nebraska

10,607,682

3,420,587

-7,187,095

-200

Nevada

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

New Hampshire

20,723,888

6,778,058

-13,945,830

-388

New Jersey

84,744,728

27,844,696

-56,900,032

-1,584

New Mexico

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

New York

228,898,617

75,209,546

-153,689,072

-4,279

North Carolina

37,427,915

12,297,743

-25,130,171

-700

North Dakota

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Ohio

116,745,933

38,359,378

-78,386,555

-2,182

Oklahoma

16,755,222

5,460,896

-11,294,326

-314

Oregon

23,427,004

7,675,196

-15,751,808

-439

Pennsylvania

82,146,051

26,990,845

-55,155,206

-1,535

Rhode Island

13,925,142

4,521,620

-9,403,522

-262

South Carolina

21,244,033

6,950,689

-14,293,344

-398

South Dakota

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Tennessee

30,125,406

9,898,331

-20,227,075

-563

Texas

94,785,165

31,143,697

-63,641,468

-1,772

Utah

10,927,141

3,526,612

-7,400,528

-206

Vermont

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

Virginia

42,440,966

13,944,889

-28,496,077

-793

Washington

36,064,070

11,849,623

-24,214,447

-674

West Virginia

32,328,855

10,622,338

-21,706,517

-604

Wisconsin

56,063,031

18,420,710

-37,642,321

-1,048

Wyoming

10,181,736

3,279,220

-6,902,516

-192

American Samoa

1,780,267

517,802

-1,262,465

-35

Guam

1,261,073

347,210

-913,863

-25

Northern Marianas

772,907

186,812

-586,095

-16

Puerto Rico

27,047,541

8,876,817

-18,170,723

-506

Indian Tribes

31,500,000

10,350,000

-21,150,000

-589

Total

$2,100,000,000

$690,000,000

-$1,410,000,000

-39,253

Note: This table was prepared by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Democratic Staff based on the statutory allocation formula for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.  The job loss estimates are based on 2007 Federal Highway Administration data on the correlation between highway infrastructure investment and employment and economic activity. 

 

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