Legislative Bulletin for October 9, 2009

Federal Action Alert

Contact Senator Boxer: Urge Support for Transit Investment in Senate Climate Bill

Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), and Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have introduced a new climate bill that will be brought before the U.S. Senate. The next week and a half will be a critical period to influence how the climate bill's funding will be allocated.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved its version of a climate bill, the “American Clean Energy and Security Act” (H.R. 2454, “Waxman-Markey” or “ACES”) on June 26, 2009.  However, the House-passed bill makes transit a limited eligible expense under a state energy grant program and fails to provide guaranteed transit investment. 

Therefore, this newly introduced Senate climate bill presents another opportunity for transit advocates to weigh in. Transportation for America has drafted a letter encouraging Senator Boxer to allocate 10 percent of the climate bill's revenues to go to transportation.

Please click here to see the draft letter from Transportation for America. If your individual agency would like to sign on to the letter, please contact Eryn Rosenblum at eryn.rosenblum@t4america.org. Signatures must be received by 5pm on Monday, October 12th.

Please contact Legislative and Regulatory Assistant Sabrina Means
at sabrina@caltransit.org if you have any questions.