WASHINGTON (March 6, 2021) – “The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of America’s public transportation industry, commends the Senate for passage of an amended version of H.R. 1319, the ‘American Rescue Plan Act of 2021’. This bill, passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives, provides $30.5 billion in critical COVID-19 emergency funding to help public transit agencies continue to provide a lifeline to essential workers, ensure Americans can get to vaccine distribution sites, and advance communities’ efforts across the country to rebuild our nation’s economy.
APTA applauds the leadership and vision of Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Chair Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Committee on Appropriations Chair Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), and THUD Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Brian Schatz (D-HI) in crafting this legislation.
We greatly appreciate that the bill includes $30.5 billion of emergency transit funding and distributes these funds in a manner that ensures that all public transit agencies can continue to be a lifeline for our essential workers, while also ensuring Americans can get to vaccine distribution sites and communities can rebuild from the economic devastation caused by the pandemic.
The time is now to invest more in our nation’s public transportation infrastructure to support jobs, reconnect Americans, and build the necessary infrastructure network to provide critical public transit services and economic opportunities for all.”
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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.
