Press Releases

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today approved its budget reconciliation proposal that combines critical investments for President Trump’s border and national security agenda and for improving America’s air traffic control system, with cuts in wasteful spending and other deficit reducing provisions that will provide a net reduction of more than $10 billion to the nation’s deficit.

The proposal will provide investments to support the U.S. Coast Guard’s missions to stop the flow of illegal drugs and migrants into the country and bolster our national security, and to replace the nation’s air traffic control technology.  These investments will be more than offset by the elimination of funding for several Green New Deal style programs, a requirement that electric vehicles (EVs) begin paying for their use of the highway system just like other highway users, and other deficit reduction measures.  The T&I Committee will now send its proposal to the House Budget Committee.

“Today the Committee took decisive action in support of the President’s America First agenda,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). “We approved historic investments in the United States Coast Guard to strengthen our national and border security, and we took equally important strides towards finally modernizing the nation’s outdated air traffic control system. We more than covered these critical provisions by cutting wasteful Green New Deal spending, ensuring that electric vehicles begin contributing to the Highway Trust Fund, and more. I want to thank the Members of the Committee for their efforts throughout today’s markup.”

A manager’s amendment offered by Chairman Graves was approved at today’s markup.  This amendment made technical changes, removed a $20 vehicle registration fee, increased the EV fee to $250 (while retaining the $100 hybrid fee), and adjusted investment levels in the Coast Guard and air traffic control provisions.

More than 130 transportation industry and labor stakeholders have written in support of the Committee’s work on the proposal. Their support can be found here.

Highlights of the proposal’s investment provisions:

Investments in U.S. Coast Guard missions to protect our national security and to stop illegal drugs and migrants from crossing our maritime borders. 

• More than $21 billion is appropriated to the Coast Guard for investing in assets like Offshore Patrol Cutters, Fast Response Cutters, Polar Security Cutters, fixed and rotary wing aircraft, shoreside infrastructure, and depot maintenance.
• This proposal gives the Service the tools it needs to better protect our borders, interdict illegal drugs and migrants, and protect our national and economic security in the Arctic, where competitors such as China and Russia are aggressively expanding their activities.

Investments for the improved safety and reliability of America’s air traffic control (ATC) system.

• $12.5 billion is appropriated to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the modernization of ATC technology.
• These investments will begin the work of replacing our outdated ATC technology, modernizing the ATC system, and enhancing the hiring of air traffic controllers following several aviation tragedies in recent months, which are priorities of the President and DOT Secretary Duffy.

Highlights of the provisions that will reduce federal spending and deficits:

Rescinds unobligated funds and eliminates seven unnecessary Green New Deal style programs created in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 

• This includes Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants, Environmental Review Implementation Funds, and Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants under the Federal Highway Administration: progressive priorities that are either duplicative, are projects that states and other entities may pursue if they prioritize them, or are efforts that should be driven by the industry and not mandated by the federal government.
• The rescissions also include the Assistance for Federal Buildings, Use of Low-Carbon Materials, and Emerging Technologies funding under the General Services Administration (GSA): programs that target green projects that have little to do with addressing deferred maintenance and ensuring federal facilities operate more efficiently.
• The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Alternative Fuel and Low-Emission Aviation Technology Program is also rescinded, given that the agency’s role and purpose is ensuring aviation safety – not developing sustainable fuels.
• These rescissions are estimated to reduce federal spending by approximately $4 billion.

Ends free rides for electric vehicles (EVs) and ensures they begin paying into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for their use of the nation’s highways.

• The HTF is the main funding source for federal surface transportation programs and is funded by user-fees. However, since EVs do not use gas, they do not pay this user fee, and this inequity contributes to a growing shortfall in the HTF.
• By leveraging states’ existing registration systems, the bill assesses an annual registration fee of $250 on EVs and $100 on hybrids (which currently pay a lesser share into the HTF) to ensure they pay for their use of the nation’s roads and bridges.Together, these new user fees are expected to increase federal revenues by a conservative estimate of more than $38 billion over ten years, all of which will be deposited into the HTF.

More information from today’s Committee markup of the proposal is available here.