AFA Action — INVEST Act Letter of Support

June 30, 2021

The Honorable Peter A. DeFazio, 
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States House of Representatives 
2165 Rayburn House Office Building 
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Sam Graves, 
Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States House of Representatives 
2164 Rayburn House Office Building 
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves,

For too long, local governments have had to place a disproportionate reliance on the goodwill of their voters in order to pass and secure funding sources for transformative infrastructure projects in their communities. Decades of crumbling infrastructure coupled with the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have put our local communities against a wall and in dire need of federal assistance. 

As President and CEO of Accelerator for America Action (AFAA), which has helped local communities nationwide generate more than $40 billion in critical transit and infrastructure funding, our organization is proud to stand with the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in support of the INVEST in America Act. As local and congressional leaders continue to work together to help our cities recover from the pandemic, we must prioritize transportation and infrastructure initiatives that make our cities stronger and support the creation of good jobs to get Americans back to work. 

This legislation addresses key challenges our nation’s mayors and local leaders face every day in making their cities more accessible, sustainable, and equity driven. The passage of this legislation would provide pathways to well paid, union-backed careers for our communities’ struggling workforce and small businesses, creating jobs that will rebuild and strengthen our cities' roadways, bridges and transportation corridors. The INVEST in America Act will also help to alleviate the burden of our frontline communities by investing billions of dollars in expanding our electric vehicle charging infrastructure and electric bus fleets.

We applaud you for your leadership and hard work to get this critically important legislation to the House floor. We encourage all of our nation’s House Representatives to support the INVEST in America Act and support our cities, our workers, and our neighbors. 

Sincerely,

Aaron Thomas
President and CEO | Accelerator for America Action