The National Campaign for Transit Justice and partner organizations sent the following letter to Chairman Sam Graves of the House T&I Committee:
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Dear Chairman Graves,
We saw your recent comments in Politico pushing back against the ill-advised plan to remove transit from the Highway Trust Fund in next year’s reauthorization bill and wanted to thank you for standing up for transit and the millions of people who depend on it every day to get to work, school, and around their community.
Transit is how tens of millions of Americans get to work and school every day. Essential workers depend on and operate transit, employers depend on transit, and communities small and large depend on transit. When people can count on the bus or train to get where they need to go, they can contribute to their workplace, receive needed medical care, and participate in the daily life of their communities. They benefit from greater economic mobility and lower household costs.
As you begin the reauthorization process, we ask that you expand capacity with dedicated federal operating funds. Transit is a driver of our economy. According to APTA, every dollar invested in public transit can generate up to 5 times its value in economic returns—it’s among the best investments of public resources we can make. But transit needs funding for operators, mechanics, and maintenance so we can have the kind of transit service our communities badly need and deserve.
As the reauthorization bill moves through your committee, we look forward to working with you to not only maintain federal commitment to transit, but to build on it.
Sincerely,
The National Campaign for Transit Justice, LeeAnn Hall
Transportation for America, Beth Osborne
America Walks, Ben Crowther
Climate and Community Institute, Emmett Hopkins
League of American Bicyclists, Caron Whitaker
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), Josh Naramore
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, Stacie Reidenbaugh
A Just Harvest, David Zoltan
Activate St Pete, Max McCann
Active Transportation Alliance, Amy Rynell
Americans for Health, Charles Chamberlain
Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST), Rob Zako
BetterTransitNOW, Paul Sturm
Bike Cleveland, Jacob VanSickle
Bike Walk Greenville, Mary McGowan
BikeHouston, Joe Cutrufo
Briannaco Investments LLC, Stacey Schacter
Cambridge Bicycle Safety, Christopher Cassa
Car-Lite Long Beach, Kurt Canfield
CASA, Patrick Giuliani
Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, Brian O’Malley
Clean Air Council, Nick Zuwiala-Rogers
Clean Power Lake County, Mayra Mendez
ClimatePlan, Lesley Beatty
Coalition Against the Mid-States Corridor, Mark Nowotarski
Coalition for Smarter Growth, Stewart Schwartz
Conservation Law Foundation, Paulina Muratore
D.C. Transportation Equity Network, Kai Hall
Democracy for America Advocacy Fund, Charles Chamberlain
Denver Streets Partnership, Jill Locantore
Detroit Disability Power, Kaci Pellar
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, Carol Tyson
Downtown Residents Advocacy Network (Baltimore), Paul Sturm
East Coast Greenway Alliance, Niles Barnes
East Metro Strong, William Schroeer
ForeverGreen Trails, Larry Leveen
GObike, Justin Booth
GreenLatinos, Andrea Marpillero-Colomina
HollywoodDemocrats.com PAC, Charles Chamberlain
Institute for Policy Studies Climate Policy Program, Basav Sen
Joy Machines Bike Shop, Krissie Wells
Madison Area Bus Advocates, Susan De Vos
Mainers for Smarter Transportation, Myles Smith
Metropolitan Planning Council, Audrey Wennink
Missouri Workers Center, Aditi Ramaswami
Move California, Eli Lipmen
Move LA, Eli Lipmen
Move Redmond, Kelli Refer
Native Organizers Alliance, Judith LeBlanc
OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership, Tessa Xuan
Open Plans, Sara Lind
Oregon Walks, Zachary Lauritzen
Our Streets, Joe Harrington
Permanent Citizen Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC), Brian Fritsch
Philly Transit Riders Union, Nat Lownes
Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Laura Chu Wiens
PSOB Bike Committee, Marsha Hanchrow
Rail Passengers Association, Sean Jeans-Gail
Reconnect Rochester, Cody Donahue
Respiratory Health Association, Brian Urbaszewski
Riders Alliance, Danny Pearlstein
Rise and Resist Elevator Action Group, Jessica Murray
Safe Routes Partnership, Marisa Jones
San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, Christine Canaly
Seamless Bay Area, Kaleo Mark
Southern Environmental Law Center, Garrett Gee
SPUR, Sebastian Petty
Streets For All, Michael Schneider
StreetsPAC, Eric McClure
Sunrise Movement KC, Anthony Cunningham
Sustain Charlotte, Meg Fencil
Tacoma On the Go, Laura Svancarek
TakeItBack.Org, Charles Chamberlain
The Street Trust – Oregon, Sarah Iannarone
The Transit Coalition, Bart Reed
Transbay Coalition, Carter Lavin
Transform, Abibat Rahman-Davies
Transit Alliance Miami, Cathy Dos Santos
Transit Columbus, Stevie Pasamonte
Transit For All PA, Connor Descheemaker
Transit Forward Philadelphia, Stephen Bronskill
Transit Trekker/Downshift Outdoors, Kimberly Huntress-Inskeep
TransitMatters, Caitlin Allen-Connelly
Transportation Choices Coalition, Kirk Hovenkotter
Transportation for Massachusetts, Pete Wilson
Transportation Riders United, Megan Owens
Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Talia Crawford
Virginia Organizing, Brian Johns
Walk Bike Nashville, Meredith Montgomery
Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance, Cathy Van Maren