On the recordMarch 8, 2000
I do not believe, in the ultimate analysis, this bill does create a new entitlement. It does say that all of the money collected by the aviation passenger tax that has long been statutorily earmarked toward aircraft, airport, and airline purposes ought to be spent on that purpose. It does effectively guarantee that trust fund will be spent for the purposes it was created. That, it seems to me, is a good thing rather than a bad thing. The Senator from New Jersey is correct in saying we will be required in the future, as I think we ought to be, to appropriate general fund money for aircraft purposes in the broadest sense. I suppose one can call that a subsidy to air travel. The Senator speaks of Amtrak. My figures indicate that the roughly 20 million Amtrak passengers each year are subsidized by the general taxpayer to the extent of $28 per passenger per trip.
Source
govinfo.gov
