June 5, 2025

Dear Congressmen and Congresswomen,

Transit is a key component of economic opportunity, Public transit is much more than just a means of getting from point A to point B. It is a crucial tool for leveling the playing field for  working families, ensuring they have the mobility, financial security, and opportunities necessary to grow and thrive.

But Congress has underfunded transit for decades. And this is particularly true when it comes to operations funds – which are key to helping agencies across the country provide quality service. Congressman Johnson has introduced legislation – The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act – that would fix that. The bill authorizes $20 billion annually for four years ($80B total) to transit systems for their operating budgets.

We, the undersigned, endorse the legislation and urge you to join as a co-sponsor. The bill, if passed, would provide more frequent service on bus and rail lines, and prioritize that service to places with existing poor service, disadvantaged communities, and areas of persistent poverty. The legislation creates a new formula grant program available to all transit agencies, rural and urban, to increase service frequency so that people don’t have to wait so long for the bus; to provide additional hours of service so that those who don’t work white-collar hours can still get to their jobs; and to add new, frequent service to underserved communities.

For decades, the federal government has supported the cost of operating aviation through air traffic control and the cost of shipping through investment in ports and the management of locks and dams in the inland waterways. These are essential services for the movement of goods and people. Operating high quality transit is just as essential to get people to employment and to give businesses access to talent and customers.

The failure by Congress to pass Congressman Johnson’s bill last Congress has contributed to fiscal trouble for many agencies and helped lead to a patchwork of unreliable public transit services that leave too many people behind and drag our economy down. We can’t afford that. Transit is essential, now more than ever. We urge you to co-sponsor Congressman Johnson’s vital legislation.

Sincerely,

National Campaign for Transit Justice, LeeAnn Hall

Transportation for America, Benito Perez

America Walks, Mike McGinn

National Resources Defense Council, Shruti Vaidyanathan

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Carol Tyson

League of American Bicyclists, Caron Whitaker

League of Conservation Voters (LCV), Darien Davis

Sierra Club, Katherine Garcia

Smart Growth America, Beth Osborne

Southern Environmental Law Center, Trip Pollard

Union of Concerned Scientists, Kevin Shen

1000 Friends of Wisconsin, Trevor Roark

350 New Hampshire, Jennifer Dube

350 Seattle, Beth Brunton

Active Prince William, Allen Muchnick

Active Transportation Alliance, Amy Rynell

Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Katie Huffling

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, Matt Girardi

BetterTransitNOW (Baltimore), Paul Sturm

Bike Cleveland, Jacob VanSickle

Bike Durham, John Tallmadge

BikeLA, Eli Akira Kaufman

Bikemore, Jed Weeks

Bike Pittsburgh, Scott Bricker

Bus Riders of Roanoke Advocacy Group (BRRAG), Laura Hartman

CASE Citizens Alliance for a Sustainable Englewood, Janice Brown

Center for Neighborhood Technology, Miriam Savad

Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, Brian O’Malley

Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund, Quentin Scott

Chicago Jobs with Justice, Jill Manrique

City of Twin Falls, Maxine Durand, Transit Coordinator

Clean Air Council, Titania Markland

Clean Power Lake County, Mayra Mendez

Clevelanders for Public Transit, Chris Martin

Coalition for Clean Transportation, Joshua Hioudek

Coalition for Economic Justice, Anthony Gault

Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities, Colin Fiske

Coalition for Smarter Growth, Stewart Schwartz

Community Climate Collaborative (C3), Susan Kruse

Conservation Law Foundation, Paulina Muratore

CultureHouse, Aaron GreinerDemocracy for America Advocacy Fund, Charles Chamberlain

Denver Streets Partnership, Jill Locantore

Detroit Disability Power, Kaci Pellar

Detroit People’s Platform, Renard Monczunski

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Carol Tyson

Downtown Residents Advocacy Network (Baltimore), Paul Sturm

Drive Electric Dayton, Rap Hankins

Drive Electric RVA, Charles Gerena

Earth Day Mobile Bay, Inc., Gary Gover

East Coast Greenway Alliance, Allison Burson

Elders Climate Action, Roger Luckmann

Elmont Cultural Center, Mimi Pierre Johnson

Environmental Law & Policy Center, Ann Mesnikoff

Environmental Justice Team, Cedar Lane UU Congregation, Molly Hauck

Families for Safe Streets, Thomas DeVito

Fix Maryland Rail, Diane Wittner

For the Many, Jonathan Bix

Friends of Caltrain, Adina Levin

Gamaliel Network, Ana Garcia-Ashley

Good Jobs First, Greg LeRoy

Grassroots Alexandria, Jonathan Krall

Greater Greater Washington, Kai Hall

Green New Deal Network, Giancarlo Valdetaro

GreenLatinos, Andrea Marpillero-Colomina

Health by Design, Marc McAleavey, CEO

HollywoodDemocrats.com, Charles Chamberlain

Illinois Environmental Council, Dany Robles

In the Public Interest, Donald Cohen

Indivisible Colorado, Elizabeta Stacishin

Jobs to Move America, Ian Elder

Joy Machine Bike Shop, Krissie Wells

Living Streets Alliance, Emily Yetman

Local Motion, Mike Burden

Long Island Progressive Coalition, Monique Fitzgerald

LRNow in Virginia Beach, Karen W Forget

Madison Area Bus Advocates, Susan De Vos

Margaret Schoap, Organizer

Maryland Legislative Coalition, Cecilia Plante

Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Lizzi Weyant

Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago, Audrey Wennink

Missouri Workers Center, Aditi Ramaswami

Mobilify Southwestern Pennsylvania, Chris Sandvig

MountainTrue, Susan BeanMove California, Eli Lipmen

Move LA, Eli Lipmen

Move Minnesota, MJ Carpio

MOVE Ohio, Akshai Singh

Move Redmond, Kelli Refer

National Consumer Law Center, Olivia Wein

Native Organizers Alliance, Tremayne Nez

Neighbors for Clean Air, Mackenzie Springer

New Jersey Future, Peter Kasabach

Old Spokes Home, Sarah Camille Wilson

One Fair Wage, Fekkak Mamdouh

Open Plans, Sara Lind

Our Streets, Joe Harrington

Parks & Trails New York, Dylan Carey

Partnership for Southern Equity, Joel Alvarado

Pass the Federal Green New Deal Coalition, Beth Brunton

Philly Transit Riders Union, Nat Lownes

Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Laura Chu Wiens

Policy Foundation, INC, Sarahia Benn

Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Laura Martin

Propel ATL, Jeremiah Jones

Providence Streets Coalition, Liza Burkin

PSOB Bike Committee, Marsha Hanchrow

Puente Latino Association, Hilda Gaytan

Qlatinx, Gabriella Rodriguez

Reconnect Rochester, Cody Donahue

Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce, Ann Silver

Riders Alliance, Betsy Plum

Rise and Resist Elevator Action Group, Jessica Murray

Roanoke Group, Sierra Club, Dan Crawford

RVA Rapid Transit, Faith Walker

Safe Pass Ulster, Rose Quinn

Safe Routes Partnership, Marisa Jones

Seamless Bay Area, Kaleo Mark

Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, Kyle Lawrence

South Louisville Community Ministries, Atticus Yarbrough

South Seattle Climate Action Network, Beth Brunton

Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Matt Frommer

Streets For All, Michael Schneider

Strong Towns Columbus, Stewart Weinland

St. Vincent’s Green Team, Bethany Gregg

Summit Campaign Strategies, Charles Chamberlain

Sunrise Movement KC, Anthony Cunningham

Sustain Charlotte, Meg FencilSustainable Mobility for Arlington County, Chris Slatt

TakeItBack.Org, Charles Chamberlain

Tempe Bicycle Action Group, Katie Boligitz

The Denver Streets Partnership, Adrienne Razavi

The Fund for Educational Excellence, Jade Johnson

The People’s Lobby, Will Tanzman

The Street Trust, Sarah Iannarone

The Transit Coalition, Bart Reed

THE.City, Patrick Kennedy

Together for Brothers, Christopher Ramirez

Transbay Coalition, Carter Lavin

Transform, Zack Deutsch-Gross

Transit Alliance Miami, Tala Habash

Transit Columbus, Stevie Pasamonte

Transit For All PA, Connor Descheemaker

Transit Forward Philadelphia, Stephen Bronskill

Transit Trekker, Kimberly Huntress-Inskeep

Transportation Alternatives, Elizabeth Adams

Transportation for Massachusetts, Pete Wilson

Transportation for Vermonters, Evelyn Seidner

Transportation Riders United, Megan Owens

Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Jaqi Cohen

Union of Concerned Scientists, Kevin Shen

Unite North Metro Denver, Fran Aguirre

Vermont Center for Independent Living, Sarah Launderville

Virginia Organizing, Brian Johns

Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Peter Gray

WeMatter Organization, Justina Plowden

Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers, Jason Glozier

Womxn From The Mountain, Renée Millard Chacon