House T&I Committee Introduces $547B Surface Transportation Bill

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I Committee) Chairman Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), along with Subcommittee Chairs, introduced the INVEST in America Act, which provides $547 billion for surface transportation infrastructure over the next five years, including $109 billion for public transit and $95 billion for passenger and freight rail. The historic investments in public transit and passenger rail are even greater than the investments included in last year’s proposed bill.

Like last year, the bill includes dozens of APTA policy priorities, as reflected in APTA’s Recommendations on Surface Transportation Law. This year’s bill also includes new programs to address several pressing transit challenges, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and addressing transit deserts by providing expanded service to unserved and underserved communities.

A full fact sheet is available here.

The bill is expected to begin the markup process June 9.

APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas released the statement below regarding the bill.

“The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of the entire public transportation industry, lauds House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) for their exemplary leadership and foresight in crafting H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act, which will put American infrastructure on footing to compete with any country in the world. APTA strongly supports the bill and its critical investments for surface transportation infrastructure, including $109 billion for public transportation and $95 billion for commuter rail, Amtrak, and other high-performance rail.

This once-in-a-generation, forward-thinking investment will help our communities meet growing mobility demands, create family-wage jobs, expand U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, and grow the economy. This legislation will put us on the path to increase access to opportunities for all Americans and build more equitable communities, while also addressing the environmental and sustainability challenges facing our communities, nation, and the world. In addition to these critical investments, the INVEST in America Act includes important policies from streamlining the Capital Investment Grant program to investing in new technologies like zero-emission buses that will create the transportation systems of the future.

APTA applauds Chairman DeFazio for reinvigorating the infrastructure discussion with a plan that will create millions of family-wage jobs, strengthen our economy, and build a stronger America. We strongly support the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress in their effort to significantly increase forward-looking infrastructure investment that modernizes public transit and passenger rail systems and meets the growing and evolving mobility demands of communities. The time is now to make this transformational investment in our national infrastructure that will provide staying power to drive our economy for years to come.”