Letters To Congress

On behalf of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Rail Labor Division (RLD) of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), we write in support of funding for the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill at $148.371 million. Based on the RRB’s FY 2022 budget submission and taking into account what the agency received from H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan, this modest funding request will ensure the agency is able to meet the needs of our nation’s railroad workers and their families. Additionally, annual appropriations to the RRB come directly from the agency’s own trust funds that are funded solely by employer and employee payroll taxes—not the general revenue.

We, the undersigned, write in support of the Railroad Unemployment Equity and Fairness Act (REEF Act), S. 545, introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Deb Fischer (R-NE). This bipartisan bill would eliminate the legacy sequester on railroad unemployment and sickness benefits that has unfairly short-changed railroad workers and their families for nearly a decade.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), our 33 affiliated unions, and millions of frontline transportation workers, I urge you to support the confirmation of Polly Trottenberg to Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), and the millions of frontline transportation workers represented by our 33 affiliated unions, we urge the Senate to move swiftly to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and send it to the President’s desk. We also urge every Senator to reject proposals that would cut critical provisions from this package and undermine the relief so many working families desperately need.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), and the millions of frontline transportation workers represented by our 33 affiliated unions, we applaud members of the House and Senate for advancing the joint budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2021, which will provide desperately needed relief to workers and communities across this country. We urge you to support this package both through the committee process and on the House floor.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO and the millions of frontline transportation workers represented by our 33 affiliated unions, we applaud the proactive steps taken by the House and Senate to pass a desperately needed economic relief package. Unfortunately, many Republicans in the Senate have decided to put politics before their country by introducing nearly 1000 amendments to the Senate Budget Resolution. This effort is nothing more than a cynical delay tactic and an attempt to deny the economic and health care needs of the American people. We stand in opposition to their efforts, and urge you to vote NO on any amendment that seeks to undermine vital labor policies, programs, and protections.

On behalf of the millions of Americans who rely on public transportation every day, the 435,000 frontline workers who operate and maintain public transit and commuter rail systems in communities of all size across our country, and passenger advocates, we urge you to provide an additional $39.3 billion in emergency funding to help public transit agencies provide safe, reliable service as they continue to grapple with the financial burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On behalf of labor unions representing hundreds of thousands of aviation workers, we request that Congress provide continued relief through the Payroll Support Program (PSP), which has been a successful, transparent, cost effective, job-saving program and a key lifeline for workers over the course of the pandemic.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), our 33 unions, and millions of frontline transportation workers, I urge you to support the confirmation of Pete Buttigieg to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you to act to pass the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 during the remaining days of the 116th Congress. This legislation provides funding for critical water infrastructure projects, invests in our ports and harbors, and supports thousands of middle class jobs.