U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is lobbying her colleagues in Washington for stronger public transportation investments, including support for fare-free programs, as Congress prepares to draft a new federal transportation bill.
“In a moment when there is greater reliance on public transit, your leadership is critical to safeguard significant progress that improves our nation’s transportation infrastructure,” wrote Pressley in a letter addressed to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is currently soliciting requests from lawmakers and stakeholders for what should go into their first draft for a new federal transportation bill.
Congress enacts new transportation budget laws every 5 to 6 years. The current law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, sometimes referred to as the "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law", passed in 2021 and is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026 (you can find more news about the reauthorization process from our colleagues at StreetsblogUSA).
Pressley's letter is co-signed by 14 other members of the "Future of Transportation Caucus," which she co-chairs, including Reps. Mark Takano, Chuy Garcia, LaMonica McIver, Hank Johnson, Delia Ramirez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cleo Fields, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rashida Tlaib, Dan Goldman, Pramila Jayapal, Lateefah Simon, Ilhan Omar, and André Carson.
Fare-free focus
The letter's primary request is for Congress to fund fare-free pilot programs for more transit agencies across the nation.
"Fare-free transit is not just a popular policy idea, it is a proven tool for
saving taxpayers money, reducing traffic congestion, and expanding access to opportunity," the letter argues.
The lawmakers specifically cite the success of fare-free programs in Massachusetts.
"The Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa) system, which serves Massachusetts and New Hampshire residents, eliminated fares system-wide in March 2022, resulting in 27 MeVa buses’ ridership quadrupling," the letter argues.
Pressley and her colleagues also urge Congress to resist President Trump's proposed budget cuts to the Federal Transit Administration's Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities program.
"We must authorize funding in paratransit services to allow people with disabilities access to work, school, healthcare, and other destinations," the letter argues. "Funding cuts would have disproportionate impacts on paratransit services and transit options in rural and underserved communities."
A spokesperson for Rep. Pressley told StreetsblogMASS that the committee's draft text for the new transportation bill is expected to be finalized by the end of December.
