equitable geographic distribution of funds, a balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural areas, and investments in a variety of modes of transportation. (9) TIGER received an appropriation of $600,000,000 in fiscal year 2014, an appropriation of $500,000,000 in fiscal year 2015, and an appropriation of $500,000,000 in fiscal year 2016. (10) Past appropriations for TIGER are not sufficient to address the need for investments in transportation infrastructure in communities throughout the United States as the amounts only fund a small fraction of the transportation infrastructure projects for which TIGER grant applications have been received. (11) Appropriating $7.5 billion in fiscal year 2017 for TIGER and allowing the funds to remain available for 6 years will enable the Secretary of Transportation to begin immediately to expand investments in transportation infrastucture throughout the United States. (12) Restricting appropriations for TIGER through the use of arbitrary budget caps or sequestration undermines economic recovery and job creation efforts