400 Transportation
Federal gasoline and diesel taxes are passed on to motorists, bus operators, and truckers at the pump, and then deposited into the federal HTF along with related fees. Past federal highway authorization bills increased HTF spending levels, permitting Congress to spend down the fund’s accumulated balance. Beginning in 2008, Congress was spending more out of … Continue reading Limit Highway Trust Fund Spending to Revenues
Called the Urban Mass Transit Administration when created in 1964, the agency now known as the Federal Transit Administration provides grants to state and local governments and transit authorities to operate, maintain, and improve transit systems (such as for buses and subways). The federal government has subsidized mass transit since the 1960s, and it began … Continue reading Phase Out the Federal Transit Administration
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, now known as Amtrak, was created by the federal government to take over bankrupt private passenger rail companies. It began service on May 4, 1971. In fiscal year 2014, it received an operating grant of approximately $340 million and a capital and debt service grant of about $1.05 billion. Amtrak … Continue reading Eliminate Grants to the National Rail Passenger Service Corporation (Amtrak)
Created in 1950, MARAD’s purpose is to maintain a maritime fleet to be used during a national emergency. Decades later, it continues to oversee and implement outdated, Depression-era laws, which prevent foreign maritime industry companies from competing with those in the United States. MARAD and the laws it implements are steeped in protectionism and subsidies. … Continue reading Close Down the Maritime Administration and Repeal the Jones Act
The New Starts program was created in 1991 as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, with the purpose of giving transit agencies grants for building transit projects. In fact, it gives them the incentives to build costly transit systems they can ill afford to operate, much less fund for capital improvements. Criteria for … Continue reading Eliminate the New Starts Transit Program
Created in the Wiley–Dondero Act of 1954, the SLSDC is a government-owned entity charged with maintaining and operating a part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway that is within United States territory. The seaway opened in 1959. Canada, which also borders the seaway, privatized its section in 1998, eliminating any future taxpayer funding for its maintenance … Continue reading Privatize the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
TIGER is a competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It began as part of the 2009 stimulus bill and was intended to be a temporary program that funded road, rail, transit, and port projects in the national interest. Six years later, this “temporary” program has proved too tempting a spending opportunity … Continue reading Eliminate the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant Program