Rangel Joins Protest Against Cuts to Public Transit

Congressman Charles Rangel (NY-15) and his New York Congressional Delegation Reps. Joe Crowley (NY-7), Jerrold Nadler (NY-8) and Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) spoke out against House Republicans' effort to cut federal support for public transit at the Grand Central Terminal in New York City on Monday, February 6, 2012.  Also voicing their concerns were: Metropolitan Transit Authority Chairman Joseph Lhota, Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen, and Central Labor Council of New York City .

"At a time when unemployment in the construction sector is 13% nationally we should be putting people to work to improve our nation's transportation system, not cutting basic funding for public transportation providers such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority," said Rangel. "Gutting the lifeline for our nation's transit agencies will have an erosive impact on the people and the regional economy."

On Friday, February 3, 2012, the Ways and Means Committee led by the current Republican majority, passed its portion of the federal transportation bill, H.R. 3864 - American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Financing Act of 2011, that would end the guaranteed funding for mass transportation and leave today's inadequate funding levels in doubt.  The bill would strip away the dedicated funding stream for the Mass Transit Account, which allows states, municipalities and local transit agencies to plan and fund capital projects with the certainty needed to make job-creating infrastructure investments.

"Such a move would have a significant impact on the ability of the city and the MTA to fund capital projects, as well as jeopardize much-needed mass-transit services and threaten jobs in this critical sector," said Vincent Alvarez, President of NYC Central Labor Council.

In New York City alone, the Mass Transit Account funds key investments the City's subways, buses, commuter rails, and other forms of public transit. Slashing this funding stream will result in a loss of $1.7 billion for New York State and will adversely affect City and suburban commuters who rely on public transportation every day.

"The proposal would substitute a reliable funding source with an undetermined-and wholly unreliable-commitment. And it would rob the MTA of investments we count on every year to fund our vital Capital Program," said MTA Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Joseph J. Lhota.  "Make no mistake: As the largest mass transit agency in the country, this bill would hit the MTA hard."

Said Rangel: "I will be fighting against this deplorable bill that is obstructing our effort to improve our infrastructure and create jobs so that future generations may have an adequate and safe transportation system."

Rangel, with Democratic Ways and Means Colleague Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), tried to thwart the Republican effort by offering an amendment to strike the provision, it failed on a strict party line vote of 22-15. The amendment offered by Rangel and Blumenauer would have preserved the dedicated funding for transit programs offered by the Mass Transit Account, which allows transit agencies in communities across the country to plan for the future and allows the Federal Transit Agency to honor its long-term commitments.

 "We need investments that will help put people back to work, boost our economy, and create a better future for all New Yorkers - not massacre our mass transit system," said Rep. Crowley.  "Slashing public transportation strikes at the heart of middle class New York workers' quality of life and it is not an answer to any of our problems."

BACKGROUND

In 1983, President Regan signed into law the Surface Transportation Assistance Act, which created a dedicated funding source for public transportation through the federal gas tax. This dedicated source of revenue allowed states, municipalities and local transit agencies to plan and fund capital projects with the certainty needed to make these infrastructure investments as efficient and cost-effective for taxpayers as possible. As congestion rose in urban areas, and rural areas saw their share of car-less, low-income families rise, the need to fund this account has grown. The Republican proposal to redirect federal gasoline tax revenues away from public transportation will worsen this funding shortage and subject transit funding to the annual appropriations process, creating uncertainty for critical job-creating infrastructure projects.