Dear John, The last twelve months have been challenging for public transportation, but we have great news. Last week, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law. This bill provides $30.5 billion in COVID-19 emergency funding for public transportation. Our Voices for Public Transit members came together and communicated with their legislators about the importance of providing emergency funding for public transit systems across the country. Our advocates sent more than 6,518 emails to Congress—and your voices made a difference. Funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act will enable public transportation to keep doing its job as we defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, including: Providing mobility to essential workers so they can reach jobs at hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, and offices. Connecting people to their vaccination appointments. Many public transit systems are providing free rides to vaccination sites. Helping communities regain their footing, reopen schools, and rebuild their economies. "This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country," President Biden said when he signed the American Rescue Plan Act. We are grateful that Congress and the Administration recognized that public transportation is a core part of our nation's backbone. Thank you again for being a champion for public transit! Let's keep moving forward, together. Sincerely, Chad Chitwood Voices for Public Transit Community Coordinator © 2021 Voices for Public Transit. All Rights Reserved. 1300 I Street NW Suite 1200 East Washington, DC xxxxxx

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