Civil and Human Rights Coalition Responds to Senate Committee Vote on Transportation Reauthorization

WASHINGTON — Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) voted to pass the MAP-21 Reauthorization Act:

“We appreciate the efforts of EPW Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter to advance the surface transportation bill out of their committee today. The choices we make with respect to federal transportation policy have an enormous impact on our economy, our climate, our health, and the ability of the communities we represent to achieve the American Dream.

We are pleased that the bill allows financing to support communities in creating economic development along transit lines. The bill also takes key steps to improve safety for all transportation users. However, the bill passed by EPW could go further to increase jobs repairing our nation’s roads and bridges and to invest in civil and human rights protections for all communities.

We look forward to working with Congress to make the necessary improvements to this bill before the Highway Trust Fund runs out of money this summer, compromising transportation projects and thousands of jobs across the nation.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

The Leadership Conference and PolicyLink co-chair the Transportation Equity Caucus, a diverse coalition of organizations promoting policies that ensure access, mobility, and opportunity for all.