Tom Malinowski: “My first amendment increases funding for the Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General by $1…”

“My first amendment increases funding for the Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General by $1 million and decreases funding for the Office of the Secretary by $1 million. I am very concerned about recent reports that the Department assigned senior officials to smooth a ``special path'' for the Senate majority leader's favored grant projects. I have no problem with funding transportation projects in Kentucky or any other State. We should all have a problem with the Department setting up a concierge service for one State while slow-walking obviously critical projects like New Jersey's Gateway Program. My second amendment makes clear that the Capital Investment Grant program cannot be run in a manner outside the bounds we have established in law. Congress never intended for politically motivated, indefinite delays to transportation projects or for some projects to be held to a much higher standard than others. Infrastructure spending is something we all agree on. It is something we all need. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.”