U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tina Smith, Kevin Cramer, John Fetterman Lead Effort to Support Made in America Bus Manufacturing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Chairman of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, reintroduced the Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act along with Subcommittee Ranking Member Tina Smith (D-Minn.). Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) joined Senators Britt and Smith in leading this bipartisan effort.

“Our Alabama manufacturers provide the transit that connects our rural communities and our largest cities. I want to ensure people across our great state continue to have access to high-quality, American-made vehicles that allow them to travel safely and efficiently to work, school, the grocery store, and everywhere in between,” said Senator Britt. “Our bipartisan legislation supports domestic manufacturing and helps local transit agencies better serve our communities. Cutting senseless red tape while supporting Made in America manufacturing is simply common sense.”

Current U.S. regulations by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs. Many domestic bus manufacturers have gone bankrupt or left the market, despite high demand for new vehicles.

“Each day, transit systems connect Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, and countless other opportunities – all while reducing traffic congestion,”said Senator Smith. “This bill makes a commonsense update to current practice by cutting unnecessary red tape and strengthen the domestic bus manufacturing market. This small change will also support U.S. bus manufacturing jobs, get more buses into service, and help Americans get to their work, school, and health care appointments more easily.”

Specifically, the Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act would allow bus manufacturers to apply for advanced payments up to 20%, enabling them to invest in the labor and machinery needed to meet demand of transit agencies and keep production costs down. The full text of the bill can be found here.

“Our legislation cuts unnecessary red tape, allowing bus manufacturers across America to invest in their production capacity,” said Senator Cramer. “This commonsense change provides greater flexibility for North Dakota’s local transit agencies and directly benefits manufacturers like Motor Coach Industries in Pembina.”

“Right now, we’re stuck with 40-year-old rules that prevent bus manufacturers from investing in the workers and equipment they need. It’s a problem that’s hurting transit agencies in big cities and small towns across Pennsylvania,” said Senator Fetterman. “This bill fixes that by giving local agencies the flexibility they need to get buses on the road faster and at a lower cost, while helping American manufacturers meet demand. I’m proud to be part of this effort to keep Pennsylvanians moving.”

The Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee has primary jurisdiction over the FTA and as Chairman, Senator Britt has committed to prioritize issues relating to affordable and accessible transit. “I will continue to promote legislative solutions that spur economic development and drive investment in both our urban and rural areas, which are often overlooked. Each and every U.S. citizen deserves access to affordable housing, reliable transit, and ultimately, the ability to achieve their American Dream,” she stated.

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