WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (CST)—joined U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and 14 of their Senate Democratic colleagues to call on the Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate Committees on Environment and Public Works; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and Appropriations to continue the progress made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.
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“We look forward to working with you to ensure the next surface transportation bill delivers real benefits to the American traveler by protecting against politicization, supporting safety improvements, cutting costs, creating good jobs, and protecting the climate and our health. With these priorities in mind, this bill can establish a world-class infrastructure system for decades to come,” the lawmakers wrote.
In the letter, Duckworth, Markey and their colleagues urge the Senate committee leaders to prioritize several key areas, including:
- Protect infrastructure grants from political interference — All infrastructure grant authorizations must include guardrails that prevent current and future administrations from cancelling or delaying already awarded grants.
- Make transportation safer — Infrastructure investments must prioritize safety through investment in safe road design, accountability requirements and rigorous safety standards.
- Address the affordability crisis —Infrastructure investments must make transportation more affordable for Americans by providing a historic investment in transit, walking, biking, EV charging and passenger rail, maximizing consumer choice and lowering costs.
- Create good, union jobs —Infrastructure and transportation policy must include purposeful, pro-union policies such as project labor agreements, rail safety protections and apprenticeships that create middle-class jobs.
- Address the climate crisis and protect public health — The next surface transportation bill must protect and expand existing programs aimed at reducing emissions and improving air quality and reject punitive EV fees.
The letter also underscores the need to prioritize accessibility in the next surface transportation reauthorization, emphasizing the need to ensure equitable access for people with disabilities and individuals who face transportation barriers. The lawmakers wrote, “All investments must ensure the highest standards of accessibility across all modes of transportation so that people with disabilities and those facing transportation barriers have access to the same travel options as others. Ensuring transportation options are accessible benefits millions of riders and strengthens the economic and social fabric of communities.”
In addition to Duckworth and Markey, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The full text of the Senators’ letter is available on Duckworth’s website.
