Broun Offers Motion to Stop Transportation Bailouts, Potential to Save Billions in Taxpayer Dollars

Statement

U.S. Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10), today offered a Motion to Instruct conferees on the FY13 Transportation Reauthorization Bill. His motion would limit spending for FY13 to $37.5 billion, which is $15 billion less than is allotted for in the Senate bill. This would ensure that "user pays" will fully finance transportation spending without reliance on speculative energy production revenue or dependency on the general fund.

"It would be inexcusable to have to bail out the Highway Trust Fund for a fourth time since 2009 -- and that's the road we're headed down if this bill passes as it stands today," said Broun. "My motion would simply restore the inherent limits which were built into the Highway Trust Fund and ask that the conferees only obligate funds equal to what the government will take in via the federal gas tax through the end of fiscal year 2013. It's time for the gimmicks to stop -- spend now, pay later doesn't cut it for the American people. So let's keep the spending in check until projects like the Keystone XL pipeline or other domestic energy initiatives actually produce profits."

The motion will most likely be debated and voted upon tomorrow.

Source