Download the letter here.
Dear Representatives:
On behalf of the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), I am writing to ask for your support for the Senate amendment to H.R.3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
The IIJA would provide $66 billion in new funding for intercity rail and more than $39 billion for public transit, allowing Amtrak, freight railroads, and transit agencies around the country to rebuild core infrastructure, update and replace aging fleets, and improve safety and accessibility. It also provides a five-year authorization of essential federal highway and public transportation programs that communities and businesses cannot afford to see lapse.
As way of background, RSI is an international trade association representing more than 175 companies involved in the manufacture of goods and services in the locomotive, freight car, maintenance of way, communications and signaling, and passenger rail industries. RSI members provide critical products to Class I and short line freight railroads, shippers, Amtrak, and transit authorities nationwide and work with these customers to create new products or services that drive enhancements in safety and efficiency across their networks. These systems are supported by an extensive, domestic railway supply industry that has been a dynamic and vital part of the U.S. economy for over 200 years, encompassing 125,000 jobs across all 50 states and paying an average wage 40 percent higher than the national average.
As you know, current funding for key federal highway and public transportation programs expired on September 30. The IIJA contains a much-needed five-year reauthorization of these programs, which hundreds of businesses in the railway supply industry depend on.
We encourage you to please vote “YES” on this legislation when it comes to the floor of the House. With your support, the U.S. can create and sustain thousands of good domestic jobs, strengthen manufacturers’ ability to compete, and expand transportation systems across the nation.
Thank you for considering our positions. We would be happy to answer any questions or discuss the rail supply industry in greater detail with you.
Sincerely,
Nicole Brewin
Senior Vice President, Government and Public Affairs
Railway Supply Institute