American Public Transportation Association Hails U.S. Senate Passage of Jones-McSally Amendment to Minibus Appropriations Bill Statement by Paul Skoutelas, President & CEO

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and its 1,500 member systems and businesses hail the United States Senate for adopting Jones-McSally Amendment No. 1141 and passing H.R. 3055, the minibus appropriations bill that includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations bill. The Senate passed the Jones-McSally Amendment by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 82-11.

The Jones-McSally Amendment prevents a $1.2 billion cut to public transportation funding by blocking a 12 percent across-the-board funding cut to every transit agency in the nation in fiscal year (FY) 2020.

APTA thanks Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) for offering this critical bipartisan amendment to protect public transit funding from implementation of the Rostenkowski Test.

We also thank leaders of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, including Chairman Richard C. Shelby (R-AL), Vice Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Subcommittee Chairman Susan M. Collins (RME) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) for their leadership and foresight in ensuring this critical provision to maintain public transportation investment received a Floor vote. Finally, we thank Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH) of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for their support of the amendment and dedication to public transit investment.

APTA remains committed to building a stronger and more interconnected transportation system across America and will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to ensure adequate funding is available to maintain transit services and support critical projects that will repair, maintain and improve our public transit systems today and in the future.”

About APTA:

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private sector organization which represent a $71 billion industry that directly employs 430,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.