Senator Edward Markey, Representatives Dina Titus, Sean Casten, And Experts Call for Clean Transportation Investments in Upcoming Surface Transportation Bill

Speakers urge Congress to build on bipartisan progress by prioritizing electrified transportation, job creation, and lower costs for families

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey, Representatives Dina Titus (NV-01), Sean Casten (IL-06) and clean transportation experts gathered on Capitol Hill to encourage Congress members to include strong investments in clean and electrified transportation in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization.

Speakers highlighted how bipartisan investments have already delivered new American manufacturing, thousands of good-paying jobs, cleaner air, and lower transportation costs for families, and warned that weakening these investments would raise costs and undermine U.S. competitiveness. Participants underscored that transportation electrification - including a national EV charging network, cleaner trucks and buses, modern transit and multimodal systems - is the most affordable, safe, and practical path forward.

Senator Edward Markeyfocused on the economic and environmental needs of the transportation reauthorization, stating: "We need a transportation system that works-one where every American is able to commute and not pollute. We can build a transportation system that delivers clean air, lower costs, and good-paying union jobs. But Democrats can't be cheap dates, and we must fight for a surface transportation bill that sets rules for the road that even the Trump administration can't break. That's why I'll be pushing for policies like my GREEN Streets, Complete Streets, and All Aboard acts while also fighting for guardrails to protect our grants. Our public dollars pay for our transportation system, so it should be built to benefit the public-in red and blue states."

"Federal investments in active transportation are making walking and biking safer and more affordable for everyone, but this progress is at risk," said Ranking Member Dina Titus."Programs like Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) have contributed to ten straight quarters of declining traffic fatalities since 2021, with nearly all awards directly improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists. We must protect these investments in our sidewalks and bike lanes to continue boosting local economies and supporting equitable mobility for underinvested communities."

Representative Sean Casten addressed the importance of expanding a reliable national EV charging network to maintain American competitiveness. "The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act proved that investing in electrified transportation works, but we are at a crossroads that will determine our future competitiveness," said Rep. Casten. "States have already built the technical capacity to deploy a nationwide charging network faster and cheaper than ever before, supporting over 17,000 jobs in the process. We need a surface transportation bill that fully funds this infrastructure, providing a reliable charging network that allows American drivers to travel with confidence while lowering their monthly fuel and maintenance costs."

Trisha Dello Iacono, Head of Policy at CALSTART, emphasized the economic importance to private industries in this reauthorization: "In 2021, Congress made a bipartisan decision to modernize America's transportation system and its delivering results. Industry is investing, manufacturers are expanding, and fleets are deploying cleaner trucks and buses at scale. Pulling back now would raise costs and inject uncertainty into the clean transportation industry. This reauthorization should double down on what's working: Programs like the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) grants program that are building out EV charging, accelerating clean freight, and strengthening transit so American businesses can compete, innovate, and lead in the global transportation market."

Katherine Garcia, Director of Clean Transportation for All Campaign at the Sierra Club, addressed the environmental necessity of decarbonizing transportation. "We must urgently cut pollution from the transportation sector, which is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US and a significant source of air pollution. A reauthorization bill that undermines bipartisan priorities and critical investments in electrification would not deliver the climate and clean air benefits our communities need. Establishing a national charging network and investing in electric school buses and transit buses is essential for our environment, health, and wallets. Congress has a responsibility to pass a five-year surface transportation bill that ensures we build on existing clean transportation progress so that everyone can breathe clean air."

With thousands of new manufacturing jobs and significant public health savings already being delivered, speakers warned that weakening these clean transportation investments would undermine U.S. competitiveness and raise costs for communities. Participants called for a final bill that builds on these proven results to ensure cleaner air and lower transportation costs for all American families.

A video recording of the event is available HERE. Photos from the event are available HERE.

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.