Washington, DC – Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement on the President’s budget released yesterday:
“President Trump contradicted his own calls for a $1 trillion investment in our infrastructure by releasing a budget yesterday that proposes significant cuts to critical transportation programs.
“Plain and simple, this budget would idle major infrastructure upgrades, saddle businesses with an aging and ineffective freight and passenger network, and ignore the needs of weary commuters and travelers. At the same time, this budget would impose severe and unwarranted cuts to vital programs that protect and support working people and their families.
“While the President’s budget vaguely commits $200 billion in new federal support for infrastructure, it simultaneously cuts $95 billion from the already financially stressed Highway Trust Fund. The budget slashes in half the Capital Investment Grant program, which supports critical transit and rail capital projects, service expansions and middle-class job creation. Most ominously, the budget also seems to end this entire program moving forward, effectively canceling 50 projects currently in the pipeline.
“The budget cuts Amtrak funding by 50 percent despite the company’s continued popularity and ridership growth across all major business lines. It also drastically cuts the Maritime Security Program (MSP), which boosts the U.S.-flag sealift capacity of our Armed Forces during military and humanitarian missions, and supports thousands of skilled mariner jobs. The budget hollows out TIGER grants, which direct investments to multi-jurisdictional, multi-modal projects in both rural and urban communities. Furthermore, drastic cuts to the Essential Air Service Program proposed in this budget would harm rural and underserved communities that rely on subsidized air transportation services or face further isolation from the broader economy.
“It is also disturbing that the budget scapegoats active and retired federal employees. Slashing take-home pay, retirement and other benefits, and job security is a terrible way to treat the civil servants who care for our veterans, guard our borders, safeguard our security, support our military, and ensure our health.
“Congressional leaders and appropriators should reject this damaging spending proposal and should instead stay on the bipartisan path they chose in the FY 17 omnibus appropriations bill. We urge the President to work with Congress to fully fund a major expansion in infrastructure spending that puts millions to work.”
Congress Should Reject The President’s Budget (252kb)
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