Pete Domenici: “I wish to speak on the conference report to the Department of Transportation and related agencies appropriations bill…”

“I wish to speak on the conference report to the Department of Transportation and related agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 1997. I commend both the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Chairman Hatfield, and the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Congressman Wolf, for bringing us a balanced bill considering current budget constraints. The conference report provides $12.6 billion in budget authority and $12.3 billion in new outlays to fund the programs of the Department of Transportation, including Federal-aid highway, mass transit, aviation, and maritime activities. When outlays from prior-year budget authority are taken into account, the bill totals $36.1 billion in outlays. While I am pleased with many aspects of the bill, I must object to the manner in which the conference dealt with the Baucus amendment. The rejection of the Baucus amendment will directly lead to 31 States losing 1997 highway funding. New Mexico will lose $20 million when compared to 1996--a reduction of 12 percent. This reduction is totally unacceptable and I will be working with my colleagues over the next few weeks to address this critical issue before the end of this congressional session.”