The Senate and House are beginning to negotiate a potential last COVID-19 emergency funding package of 2020. Yesterday (July 27), after negotiations with the White House, Senate Republicans unveiled a series of bills on COVID-19 relief that represent the Republican position for the negotiation, including S. 4320, the “Coronavirus Response Additional Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020”. Despite the enormous impact of the pandemic on public transit agencies, the approximately $1 trillion COVID-19 relief plan includes no additional emergency funding for public transportation. Please click here to view S. 4320 and a summary of the Supplemental Appropriations bill.
Last night, APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas issued a statement urging Congress to provide at least $32 billion of additional COVID-19 emergency funding for public transit. Please click here to view the statement.
Today, APTA will hold a virtual press conference with 10 public transit agency CEOs outlining the dire and urgent need for additional emergency funding. In addition, APTA will also release a Policy Brief outlining the results of a July 2020 survey of transit CEOs with several key findings:
- Reduced revenues due to depressed ridership, paused fare collection, and reduced tax revenues, together with increased operating costs to protect workers and riders, are straining public transit agency budgets.
- Almost one-third of public transit agencies have been forced to furlough employees or are planning future furloughs.
- More than one-third of public transit agencies have had to delay capital projects, and nearly one in five agencies have shifted funds from their capital budget to their operating budget.
- Public transit agencies need additional emergency funding to provide essential services as the pandemic continues.
Please click here to view the APTA Policy Brief.
We encourage you to contact your Senators and Representatives to strongly urge Congress to provide at least $32 billion of additional emergency funding for public transportation in the COVID-19 emergency response legislation to offset transit agencies’ increased costs and revenue losses.
These additional emergency funds are critical to ensuring that public transit can continue to be a lifeline for our essential workers and help our communities rebuild their economies in the wake of the pandemic. These funds are also critical to maintain the manufacturing and supply chain and limit the enormous economic damage to public transportation businesses caused by the pandemic.
Please click here to view APTA’s Talking Points.
Please click here to view APTA’s July 14, 2020 letter to Congressional leaders.
*NEW* Through a series of video messages, APTA’s business members outline the critical role businesses play in the economic recovery of communities and the nation. Without additional emergency funding, jobs will be in jeopardy and the economy will stall. WATCH NOW:
CALL TO ACTION We encourage you to contact your Senators and Representatives today and strongly urge Congress to provide at least $32 billion of additional COVID-19 public transit funding in the emergency relief package. To contact your Members of Congress, please call 202.224.3121. Please click here for APTA’s Talking Points. |