“On behalf of our 1,500 public and private sector organizations, which represent a $67 billion industry that directly employs 420,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) welcomes Members of the new Congress.

“We also congratulate the newly elected leaders of the 116th Congress, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of the U.S. House of Representatives and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of the U.S. Senate.

“We look forward to working together with the new Congress to find common ground to end the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) shutdown and increase investment in public transportation. APTA strongly encourages Congress to end the partial government shutdown that has continued for nearly two weeks so that we can work together to develop bipartisan infrastructure investment legislation. This legislation is critical to restore the nation’s public transportation systems to a state of good repair, expand services to growing communities, and keep the economy moving by creating jobs, increasing prosperity, and connecting people to jobs, local businesses, and health care.

“Tonight, the House passed H.R. 21, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, which would provide full-year funding for DOT, including more than $16 billion for public transportation and passenger rail investments. We are encouraged by its passage and tomorrow’s scheduled meeting of Congressional leaders and President Trump, and we urge these leaders to work together to find a bipartisan solution to end the DOT shutdown.

“Americans strongly support greater infrastructure investments, which includes public transportation. A recent poll conducted by Politico and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that increasing infrastructure investment is a top priority for nearly 80 percent of Americans.

“APTA looks forward to working with the new Congress on these critical issues.”