Since our last federal policy blog two weeks ago covering Committee action, the House transportation bill, the INVEST Act, has expanded and moved forward.  As a reminder, the INVEST Act includes an estimated $7 billion over four years for active transportation projects and improving safety for people biking, walking, and rolling, plus many strong policy changes.  Given this, 32 national organizations joined with the League of American Bicyclists, American Heart Associat

Over the course of 24 hours spread over two days, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee under the leadership of Chairman DeFazio (D-OR) considered amendments to the INVEST in America Act, which is the House version of the surface transportation reauthorization bill.  Some members were in the Committee room, spaced out for safety, and others Members participated via webcam, while audience members watched via YouTube. 

The Safe Routes Partnership is excited to introduce the Back to School 2020 Working Group participants! We selected 18 individuals from around 180 applications from Safe Routes to School coordinators, parents, teachers, planners, crossing guards and advocates who volunteered their time and expertise. We are so encouraged by this overwhelming level of interest, and in addition to the Back to School 2020 Working Group, we are organizing some other opportunities to have these important conversations about returning to school, and will share details in the coming weeks. 

We are pleased to announce that Congressman Anthony Brown (D-MD) has joined with seven other House Democrats (Reps. Brownley-CA, Espaillat-NY, Lipinski-IL, Cohen-TN, Huffman-CA, Titus-NV, and Carson-IN) to introduce the Safe Routes to School Expansion Act, HR 5891.

The legislation proposes making several improvements to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), which is funded at nearly $2.4 billion per year.  The bill would:

Today, Democratic leadership in the US House of Representatives unveiled a $760 billion infrastructure package called “Moving America and the Environment Forward.”  It is an outline of legislation the House plans to take up in the coming months, including surface transportation, broadband, drinking water, airports, and waterways.

Late last week, Congress passed a bill to continue funding the federal government agencies and programs until the end of December, giving them several more weeks to keep negotiating on spending levels.  Also included in that bill, which President Trump signed into law, was language to cancel the pending transportation rescission.  As we have discussed a few times in recent months, this $7.6 billion rescission would have likely taken more than one year’s funding away from the Transportation

It's the all-important end of the federal fiscal year, so we have a lot to report on for how states are handling their Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding.  We always see a lot of activity in the last quarter of a fiscal year, but this year we saw more than usual because states are preparing for an impending rescission. 

We congratulate Representatives Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) for introducing the Safe and Friendly for the Environment (SAFE) Streets Act.  H.R. 3040 would help make sure that federal safety funds are directed towards projects that make walking and rolling safer.