Dodd, Menendez Applaud Administration's Transit Safety Plan, Will Push for Transit Investments in New Jobs Bill

Statement

Dodd, Menendez Applaud Administration's Transit Safety Plan, Will Push for Transit Investments in New Jobs Bill

Transit Subcommittee to hold hearing Thursday on transit safety

Today, as the Obama Administration unveiled a proposal for federal transit safety regulation and began to outline a potential jobs bill for the new year, the Chairmen of the Senate Committee and Subcommittee that oversee transit called for the jobs bill to include additional funding to help strengthen our nation's transit systems. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development will hold a subcommittee hearing on the need for enhanced transit safety this Thursday. This year's fatal crash on Washington's Metrorail system has heightened awareness of the need for a more robust transit safety and regulation system.

Dodd and Menendez made the following statement on transit safety funding needs:

"The administration has made an important proposal to strengthen transit safety regulations, but we must also remember that all the regulations in the world will not make our transit systems safe if they are falling apart. Public transit creates jobs, saves commuters time and money, cuts our dependence on foreign oil and helps clean the air we breathe. We applaud the Administration for realizing that the federal government needs to do more on transit safety. Now we must take the next step and push for the investments needed to make our rail systems safe, efficient and strong. Rail modernization investments in a jobs bill will create jobs, and reliable transit systems will help create economic growth and better public safety in the long run.

"We look forward to working with the Department of Transportation to ensure that the jobs package includes an investment in transit safety, and we look forward to addressing this at our hearing on Thursday."

The President's speech on job creation comes a day after Dodd unveiled his plan to create jobs at a small business incubator in East Hartford. Dodd's jobs agenda would increase transportation investments including a focus on rebuilding our rail infrastructure and increasing transit options to reduce congestion on our roads and improve quality of life.

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