Torres Includes Transportation Equity Provisions in Surface Transportation Package

Press Release

Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) applauded the authors of the House surface transportation funding package unveiled today for including provisions drawn from her bill, the Fair Transportation Act of 2021. Torres' legislation, which is designed to ensure Department of Transportation (DOT) funding is dispersed equitably by federal, state, and local entities, will provide a strong basis for research, planning, and best practices to take into account economically disadvantaged communities when making transportation decisions at all levels of government.

Rep. Torres released the following statement:

"Federal transportation investments help communities to thrive, which is why it's so important that these decisions are made with equity in mind," Rep. Norma J. Torres said. "By including key parts of my bill in the INVEST in America Act, Democratic members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee ensured that this five-year investment bill uplifts communities most in need. I thank my colleagues for recognizing the importance of the Fair Transportation Act, and look forward to its passage as part of this package."

The Fair Transportation Act has four main provisions:

- Equity in Transportation: Reinstates the DOT Transportation Equity Research Program, which was established in 2005, but has been dormant for more than a decade. The research program studies equity in transportation and provides demonstration grants for the same.
- Equity in Federal Funding: Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the extent that DOT currently considers the diverse needs of economically-disadvantaged and underserved populations when distributing discretionary federal funds for surface transportation projects, including a review of current equity metrics used. GAO will report to the Secretary of Transportation, Congress, and the public about its findings and recommendations.
- Equity in State Funding: Requires GAO to review whether State DOTs have implemented best practices and protocols to ensure equitable distribution of federal funds for surface transportation projects. GAO will provide recommendations about how to improve equity considerations.
More information about the bill is available here.

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