Proposed White House budget earmarks $67 billion for transportation

Staff -- Logistics Management, 2/6/2007

WASHINGTON—In his proposed $2.9 trillion spending plan for the 2008 fiscal year introduced by President George W. Bush yesterday, $67 billion was earmarked for transportation initiatives, including transportation construction, congestion relief, and safety programs, and reforming the aviation system.

The Bush administration is seeking a record $42 million for highway construction and safety programs, and this budget request also proposes overall transportation safety funding of $20.3 billion, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). This request will fund aviation and surface transportation safety programs.

And the budget also requests $175 million to cut traffic congestion by accelerating construction along trade and travel corridors and helping metropolitan areas test new systems and solutions.

Also included in the proposed budget was $46.4 billion in funding for the Department for Homeland Security, which is eight percent more than it received in fiscal year 2007. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), an integrated, credential-based, identity verification program for port workers, would receive an increase of $16.5 million. And the Secure Freight Initiative that is designed to maximize radiological and nuclear screening of U.S. bound containers from foreign ports would receive an increase of $15 million.

The DHS’ Port Security Grant program—the only federal program that assists public ports to fund marine facility security improvements—is expected to receive $210 million in Congressional appropriations.