Overall federal transportation spending would rise by 1.5 percent to $61.93 billion in the coming fiscal year under the White House budget proposal submitted to Congress. However, while total proposed spending is going up, discretionary spending, or the amount of money Congress can adjust from year-to-year, was cut by $2.1 billion to $16.8 billion in the fiscal year that begins Oct. To achieve that savings and spare major aviation, road and mass transit programs from cuts, the Transportation Department would not spend as much money in fiscal 2002 as it plans to spend this year on one-time grants for big projects. The department would also seek further savings through reductions in administrative and other expenses.
