One Seat Ride Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this bill would direct the Department of Transportation to conduct a study of the benefits of one-seat commuter rail transit nationwide and the obstacles transit agencies face in providing that level of service.

This bill also would require a cost-benefit analysis for one specific rail transit line, New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line. A comprehensive study was completed last year by New Jersey Transit on this topic.

The study concluded that the best option to provide better transit service for that region is to move ahead with the Gateway Program, which will provide more capacity for all New Jersey Transit rail lines that go into New York Penn Station.

Local officials in New Jersey and New York are actively pursuing that option and have received substantial funding from the Biden administration, including under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act through the Mega Grant Program, the Federal-State Partnership, and the Capital Investment Grant Program.

Currently, Federal Transit Administration staff are working hard to finalize a full funding grant agreement to deliver $6.9 billion for the new Hudson River tunnel, which would be the largest capital investment grant in history.

For those who are interested in supporting more New Jersey Transit services, or for those Members from other parts of the country who have their own transit priorities, one of the best ways to support them is for Congress to provide substantial funding through the Capital Investment Grant program. Given that, I have a request for my colleagues today: In addition to just voting to study the need for more transit service, I would encourage them to also support funding for more transit service.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to work toward sustainable transit investment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close.

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1547 represents an important step in improving the commuter experience for all individuals who rely on transit, and the bill also ensures, as it reviews the broad issue, that the New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley Line is examined specifically.

Madam Speaker, I urge the support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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