WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 4, 2021) – “The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of the entire public transportation industry, lauds House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) for their exemplary leadership and foresight in crafting H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act, which will put American infrastructure on footing to compete with any country in the world. APTA strongly supports the bill and its critical investments for surface transportation infrastructure, including $109 billion for public transportation and $95 billion for commuter rail, Amtrak, and other high-performance rail.
This once-in-a-generation, forward-thinking investment will help our communities meet growing mobility demands, create family-wage jobs, expand U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, and grow the economy. This legislation will put us on the path to increase access to opportunities for all Americans and build more equitable communities, while also addressing the environmental and sustainability challenges facing our communities, nation, and the world. In addition to these critical investments, the INVEST in America Act includes important policies from streamlining the Capital Investment Grant program to investing in new technologies like zero-emission buses that will create the transportation systems of the future.
APTA applauds Chairman DeFazio for reinvigorating the infrastructure discussion with a plan that will create millions of family-wage jobs, strengthen our economy, and build a stronger America. We strongly support the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress in their effort to significantly increase forward-looking infrastructure investment that modernizes public transit and passenger rail systems and meets the growing and evolving mobility demands of communities. The time is now to make this transformational investment in our national infrastructure that will provide staying power to drive our economy for years to come.”
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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 $74 billion industry that directly employs 435,000 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.
