WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 29, 2021) – “The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of the entire public transportation industry, commends the House of Representatives on swift passage of H.R. 4502, a “minibus” appropriations bill that includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2022. This legislation provides $15.5 billion for public transit, a $2.5 billion or 20 percent increase from current levels, and $3.8 billion for passenger and freight rail grants, a $1.2 billion or almost 50 percent boost. If enacted, the public transit and passenger rail investments would be the highest annual funding levels in history. The THUD bill also includes $1.2 billion for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) infrastructure grants.

This bill represents a historic investment in public transit and passenger rail infrastructure and will greatly enhance the industry’s ability to offer access to opportunity for all Americans. It will expand equitability across the country, alongside increasing mobility and addressing environmental and sustainability challenges facing our communities and our nation.

APTA looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to ensure that we make the necessary investments to modernize public transit and passenger rail systems and to meet the growing and evolving mobility demands of our cities and communities. Yesterday’s announced Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is a positive step, but more work needs to be done to advance equity issues, tackle climate change and forge a new transportation direction which will serve our growing communities, build economic competitiveness and position America as the world leader in sustainable mobility.”

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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public- and private-sector organizations which represent a $80 billion industry that directly employs 448,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.