APTA President/CEO Paul P. Skoutelas praised the House for the passage of the INVEST in America Act, which supports surface transportation. Below is his statement.
"The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of the entire public transportation industry, commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passage of H.R. 2, the 'Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act' (INVEST in America Act), a landmark piece of legislation. This bill will transform America's public transportation infrastructure, and we thank Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), and House Committee on Ways and Means Chair Richard E. Neal (D-MA) for their extraordinary leadership and vision in crafting this legislation.
This forward-thinking investment in public transportation and passenger rail helps our communities meet growing mobility demands, create family-wage jobs, expand U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, and grow the economy. It puts us on the path to increase access to opportunities for all Americans and build more equitable communities. The INVEST in America Act also addresses the environmental and sustainability challenges facing our communities, nation, and the world. At a time when our economy desperately needs a boost, this bill will get projects off the ground and immediately create good-paying jobs that will get Americans back to work and ensure our communities keep moving.
H.R. 2 makes critical investments to surface transportation infrastructure, including $105 billion for public transportation and $60 billion for commuter rail, Amtrak, and other high-performance rail. The bill also provides historic investments for Projects of National and Regional Significance and addressing climate change.
The INVEST in America Act recognizes the immediate need for public transit agencies to continue to provide essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic and support our nation's economic recovery. It reflects two key pillars of APTA's Surface Transportation Authorization Recommendations, addressing the $100 billion state-of-good-repair backlog, and providing the necessary investment to meet growing demand by funding all projects in the Capital Investment Grant pipeline.
APTA looks forward to continuing to work with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and the Trump Administration to achieve our common goal of building stronger and more equitable communities across our nation. The time is now to make a fundamentally vital investment in our national infrastructure."
