Congressman Cohen Highlights Devastating Effects of Project 2025 on Public Transit

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, raised concerns about the potential impact of Project 2025's proposal to eliminate federal funding for transit systems. During a hearing of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit reviewing federal transit policy, Congressman Cohen questioned witnesses about how such drastic cuts would affect the working Americans who rely on public transportation every day.

Congressman Cohen led off his questions to witnesses by asking how such cuts in federal support would affect major cities and the people who depend on public transit to get to work, to hospitals, or to grocery or drug stores.

"It would be devastating," said witness Nathaniel P. Ford, the CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, speaking on behalf of the American Public Transportation Association.

Other witnesses said it would disproportionately harm low-income people and communities of color who rely on public transit.

Witnesses also endorsed a bill that Congressman Cohen has supported in previous Congresses, the Stronger Communities through Better Transit, which would establish a federal funding program for transit operations.

See Congressman Cohen's exchange with the witnesses here.

Witnesses at the hearing, besides Mr. Ford, were:

• Ms. Barbara K. Cline, Executive Director, Prairie Hills Transit; on behalf of the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA);
• Mr. Matthew Booterbaugh, Chief Executive Officer, RATP Dev USA; on behalf of the North American Transit Alliance (NATA)
• Mr. Baruch Feigenbaum, Senior Managing Director of Transportation Policy, Reason Foundation
• Mr. Greg Regan, President, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD)

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