In a private meeting today, House Democratic Leaders indicated that the House of Representatives may consider a new, approximately $2.4 trillion COVID-19 bill next week. This bill will provide $1 trillion less than the Heroes Act, which passed the House in May. (The Heroes Act included $15.75 billion of emergency transit funding.) This new legislation is an effort by House Democrats to offer a “compromise bill” and restart the COVID-19 negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans.

We urge you to contact your Representatives today and urge them to include $32 billion of emergency transit funding in the new COVID-19 bill.

Although the $25 billion of CARES Act funding has served as a lifeline for public transit, more than 93 percent of these funds are obligated.

If Congress does not provide $32 billion of additional COVID-19 emergency transit funding, more than 6 in 10 public transit agencies will have to cut transit service or furlough staff. Eight in 10 large agencies are also considering delaying, deferring, or cancelling capital projects to close their budget gaps. Similarly, nearly one-half of transit businesses expect to be forced to lay off employees without additional emergency funding. In addition, one-third of transit businesses are concerned that they may go out of business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please click here to view APTA’s COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Public Transit Jobs and Service Policy Brief.

Please click here to view APTA’s COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Public Transit Businesses Policy Brief.