Letter to Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House; Hon. Charles Schumer, Senate Majority Leader; Hon. Peter DeFazio, Chairman of the House Committee Transportation & Infrastructure; and Hon. Sherrod Brown, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Reps. García, Johnson, and Pressley Call for Additional Investments in Public Transit in Reconciliation Legislation

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Chairman DeFazio, and Chairman Brown:

As our Committees allocate funds from the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, we urge you to include at
least $30 billion for public transportation from the allotments that have been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) and Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committees. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill passed by the Senate provides $39 billion for public transit. This level is $10 billion less than the original Senate framework agreed to by the White House and the Senate, $71 billion less than President Biden's American Jobs Plan1, and wholly inadequate to meet current needs. The urgency of the climate crisis and the need for a robust economic recovery demand more.

Recent events such as historic heatwaves in the Pacific Northwest, unprecedented wildfires in California,
droughts in the West, and damage from Hurricanes Henri and Ida in the Northeast reinforce the fact that
the climate crisis is upon us. Transportation is the number one emitter of greenhouse gas emissions and unlike other sectors, GHG emissions from transportation have only grown over time. We cannot address the climate crisis in reconciliation without strengthening our public transit networks and bringing them into the 21st century. While we support additional funding for electric vehicles, studies are clear that electric vehicles alone will not allow the United States to meet its climate goals in transportation2. We must expand the use of other modes of transportation, especially public transit. A significant expansion of public transit in both urban and rural areas is needed, especially in fast-growing areas like the Southeastern United States, and this goal can only be achieved through additional robust funding provided through the reconciliation legislation.

Unfortunately many public transit agencies need funding to update their operations and maintain quality,
reliable service in these unpredictable times. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, public transit agencies
continue to operate, connecting communities to jobs, groceries, healthcare, and family. Communities of color and working class families in particular rely on public transit to access jobs and essential services. While Congress provided funding for public transit in previous COVID-19 relief packages, the financial outlook for public transportation agencies remains unsettled. Long-term ridership is uncertain, farebox revenues remain low, and other revenue sources declined sharply during the pandemic. Public transit agencies are essential for any robust economic recovery and play a vital role in transporting millions back to work and school. Additional federal funding for public transit agencies will ensure that transit agencies can avoid additional reduction or disruption in service as states and cities continue to economically recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Build Back Better reconciliation package is a once in a generation opportunity to build a sustainable
and prosperous future for our country. We urge you to provide at least $30 billion for public transportation in the reconciliation legislation from the allotments that have been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) and Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committees to meet the urgent needs of the climate crisis and continue our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sincerely,