If congress wants to increase transportation spending above levels allowed in the 1997 budget agreement, it should make the tough choices to cut or control other spending year by year in light of overall priorities. Section 701 is an end run around the budget process. If allowed to pass, it could unravel the hard fought 1997 budget accord and be a harbinger for other trusts corning off budget One of the arguments in favor of doing this is that all the trust fund money is used for related expenditures. This is false. For years the money from the fund has been used for other general purpose expenditures.
Proponents say that there is a surplus and transportation deserves to get that money.
Any surpluses are paper interest earned and compounded on trust fund surpluses which occurred before 1980. From 1980 to 1997 the trust in fact spent 13 billion more than it brought in. This money came out of the general fund. From 1999 to 2003 as much as 34 billion in reductions from other discretionary programs in addition to those cuts already planned. VICA strongly opposes Section 701 of Title 7 of HR 2400.