WHEREAS, since 2009, the
Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Transportation Investment Generating
Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program has invested over $3.1
billion in road, rail, transit, and port projects that have a significant
impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, and/or a region; and WHEREAS, TIGER grants are a very
significant tool for local governments and other entities to fill the last
funding gaps in important infrastructure projects; and WHEREAS, the four previous rounds
of TIGER have supported 218 projects in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico; and WHEREAS, over the four previous rounds, more than 4,050 applicants
requested more than $105.2 billion worth of projects, showing that demand for
federal assistance far surpasses the available funding; and WHEREAS, more than 100 TIGER
grants awarded over the previous rounds were directly awarded to city or county
governments that were otherwise unable to directly access traditional sources
of Federal funding for their projects, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors thanks the
Department of Transportation for overseeing $474 million worth of TIGER grants
to be distributed in the fifth round of funding this year, and urges Congress
to support the President’s infrastructure initiatives that would provide
additional funding to the TIGER program. Projected Cost:
Approximately $4.5 billion in FY14 between the President’s regular budget
request of $500 million and $4 billion in “Fix-it-First” investments split
between TIGER and TIFIA. |
RESOLUTION ADOPTED JUNE 2013