Chairman James Oberstar

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2165 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

July 27, 2010

Dear Chairman Oberstar:

Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan budget watchdog, strongly supports a small but important step to reduce the nation’s yawning budget deficit: the inclusion of a provision in the Federal Aviation Administration authorization legislation that would rescind transportation earmarks that remain unobligated ten or more years after their authorization.

The Senate has already adopted an amendment to its version of the bill, introduced by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), which indicates that chamber’s support for this idea.  A bill introduced by Rep. Betsy Markey (D-CO) (H.R.5730 – Surface Transportation Earmark Rescission, Savings, and Accountability Act), builds upon the Senate provision and saves even more taxpayer dollars.  Rep. Markey’s proposal identifies more than $713 million worth of unused earmarks that can be rescinded, most of which are more than ten years old.  There may be an opportunity to rescind additional earmarks from previous appropriations bills, which would be worth pursuing as well.

We urge you will take this opportunity to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and wipe these liabilities off the books.  If you would like to discuss this issue further please contact me or Erich Zimmermann at 202-546-8500 x132 or erich [at] taxpayer.net.

Sincerely,

Ryan Alexander
President

cc:Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
    Republican Leader John Boehner
    Ranking Member John Mica, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure