President-elect Joe Biden today announced a COVID-19 relief plan dubbed the American Rescue Plan that will "tackle the pandemic and get direct financial assistance and relief to Americans who need it the most," according to the Biden-Harris transition website.
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a statement applauding the plan, which is said to include relief for public transportation.
"The proposed emergency transit funding included in the American Rescue Plan is vital to the industry’s survival and will help prevent massive labor cuts and drastic service reductions," APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said in a statement. "Public transportation has served an essential role during this pandemic and is an indispensable part of the social and economic recovery of our communities and our country. Despite the tremendous challenges the public transit industry faces, we continue to provide millions of Americans the ability to get to work, school, grocery stores, and healthcare appointments."
APTA said investment in public transit is a bipartisan issue, and the association will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans alike in Congress to build public transportation infrastructure, and in doing so help communities and the nation recover from the severe economic fallout of the pandemic.
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SOURCE: APTA / Biden-Harris Transition
