APTA to Congress: ‘Fully Fund IIJA’

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
In January 2021, the Federal Transit Administration signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement for Valley Metro’s South Central Light Rail Extension/Downtown Hub Project in Phoenix; the funding is part of the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program.

In January 2021, the Federal Transit Administration signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement for Valley Metro’s South Central Light Rail Extension/Downtown Hub Project in Phoenix; the funding is part of the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on Feb. 11 submitted a letter to Congress urging members to “fully fund the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).”

APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas

“We urge Congress to honor the promise of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provide funding levels at least equal to the IIJA’s public transportation and passenger rail investments for Fiscal Year 2022,” APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said. “These historic investments will enable our communities to provide access to opportunities and create family-wage jobs, advance equity, tackle climate change, and meet growing and evolving mobility demands.”

Specifically, the association asked the House and Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee leaders to provide a total of at least $16.76 billion for public transit and $7.2 billion for passenger and freight rail in the THUD Appropriations Act. When combined with the FY 2022 advance appropriations provided by the IIJA, APTA said the THUD funding would fully fund public transit investments of $21.0 billion and passenger rail investments of $20.4 billion as authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was signed on Nov. 15.

Additionally, APTA requested that RAISE grants and similar programs in the bill are fully funded, and that at least $3.0 billion is provided for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) projects. Together with the IIJA’s advance appropriations, this funding “will help our communities begin to address the backlog of demand for new mobility choices,” APTA reported. “Today, 77 projects across the nation are seeking more than $36 billion of CIG funds.”

Differences between the House and Senate THUD Appropriations bills still must be resolved.

Download the APTA letter in its entirety here:

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