The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced the winners of the 2023 Advocacy Champion Awards at its Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The awards recognize Members of Congress who have led efforts to increase investment in our nation’s public transit, passenger rail, and multimodal infrastructure and strongly support public transportation.

This year’s recipients were instrumental in enacting the 2022 and 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Acts, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and COVID-19 emergency relief funding.

The 2023 APTA Advocacy Champion Awards winners are:

• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate.

• Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Vice Chair, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate.

• Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate.

• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), former Chair and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives.

• Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ranking Member and former Chair, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives.

“Investment in public transportation remains critical for America’s future strength and prosperity, and we applaud this year’s Advocacy Champions for their extraordinary commitment to infrastructure improvements for passenger connectivity around the country,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas.