Friday, January 4, 2019
APTA Urges New Congress to Find Common Ground to End the U.S. Department of Transportation Shutdown and Increase Investment in Public Transportation Infrastructure
Statement by APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas
"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 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.
"Last night, 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 today'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."
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private sector organization which represent a $67 billion industry that directly employs 420,000 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.