Letters To Congress

While we are pleased that the House is moving to avoid an immediate default of the Highway Trust Fund, we are extremely disappointed that the bill being considered today (H.R. 5021) is crafted in a way that will make it more likely that Congress will not consider a longer-term surface transportation bill. We find this decision difficult to understand and one that represents an abdication of responsibility to meet our nation’s most basic transportation needs, sustain economic growth, and create and maintain jobs in this still fragile economy. By extending the Highway Trust Fund to next May, this “kick the can down the road” proposal will likely result in a series of short-term extensions that undermine the ability of states to invest in transportation projects, increase business uncertainty, and impede job creation.

As the Senate considers the FY 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, I urge you to vote YES on the Klobuchar-Coats-Schatz-Blunt Amendment. This amendment will ensure that the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement is implemented in full accordance with U.S. law and the agreed-upon provisions in the agreement and is identical to a provision that passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week.

On behalf of the undersigned affiliated unions of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), we write to express our strong opposition to eliminating Saturday mail delivery service as a condition of fixing the impending shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund. This careless and ideologically driven attack on the employees at the United States Postal Service (USPS) should be a non-starter as it fails to offer a bipartisan plan to fund America’s immediate and longer-term surface transportation needs.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you vote NO on an amendment offered by Representative Denham to the pending FY 15 T-HUD bill (H.R. 4745). This amendment would single-out one project in a single state – California high-speed rail – from receiving any funds appropriated in a bill that is supposed to fund our nation’s transportation needs.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge to you vote NO on the Gingrey amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Act (H.R. 4745). This misguided amendment would eliminate the use of official time by use of federal employees including those at the Department of Transportation and its modal agencies that are critical to an efficient and safe transportation system.

Dear Representative: On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you to vote NO on an amendment offered by Rep. Sessions to the pending FY 15 T-HUD bill (H.R. 4745).  This amendment would prohibit funds from going to any Amtrak route which costs exceed two times its revenue, a clear attack on […]

Dear Representative: On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you to oppose the Daines amendment to H.R. 4745, the FY 2015 T-HUD bill. This amendment would halt efforts to improve the safety of the motorcoach industry. The Daines amendment would prohibit the Department of Transportation (DOT) from increasing the minimum levels […]

Oppose Broun Amendment to T-HUD Appropriations Bill (H.R. 4745) Dear Representative: On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I write to express opposition to the Broun amendment to H.R. 4745, the House FY 15 T-HUD legislation.  This amendment undermines Amtrak’s ability to provide the rail service that passengers and communities have come to […]

Dear Representative: As you consider amendments to the FY 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act (H.R. 4745), I urge you to vote YES on the Westmoreland-DeFazio Amendment. This amendment will ensure that the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement is implemented in full accordance with U.S. law and the agreed-upon provisions in the agreement. The […]

Dear Senator: As the Finance Committee begins the markup of the tax extenders package, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) would like to express our support for an extension of employer-provided transit benefit. Without action, there will remain a bias in the federal tax code against public transportation, the millions of working people that use […]