On the recordFebruary 15, 2011
I commend Senator Paul for his diligent work to try to bring spending in line with our Nation's fiscal realities. His amendment reduces the overall authorization level for the Federal Aviation Administration to $14.719 billion. That is the authorized level for fiscal year 2008. That is down from $17.526 billion, which is proposed under the 2011 bill. To put this in perspective, it is a 19-percent increase in just 3 years. If we continue to have those kinds of increases, it is not going to be sustainable given our large and growing debt. Holding spending to 2008 levels is not so outrageous or unworkable as has been portrayed. By reducing the top line amount, the amendment provides the Secretary of Transportation with the necessary discretion to make the appropriate reductions to the related FAA accounts. Not all of them, for example, are safety accounts. So priority could be given to those matters. There is an argument that could be made that since this is an authorizing bill rather than an appropriations bill, the overall funding levels do not matter. But authorization bills do establish guideposts for the Appropriations Committee. In this case, the spending reductions reflect limits on how much will be appropriated out of the airport and airway trust fund.
