WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, released the below statement today applauding passage of the Surface Transportation Investment Act (STIA), which passed by a vote of 25-3.

“Once again, the Senate demonstrated that we can improve America’s infrastructure in a bipartisan way. I appreciate Chairwoman Cantwell and Ranking Member Wicker, as well as both their staffs, for their diligent work in advancing this critical legislation that would make significant investments in the broader surface transportation system by providing $78 billion over five years for multimodal surface transportation, rail, freight, and safety programs.

“As Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and having recently passed legislation unanimously to invest in our roads, bridges, and highways, it’s great to see momentum continuing on this critical issue.

“The legislation passed today would increase funding levels for the safety programs that are consistent with the increased funding levels that our surface transportation legislation in the EPW Committee provided for roads and bridges. Finally, I want to thank the committee for working with me to include language that would increase investments to address substance-impaired driving, drunk driving, and innovative transportation technologies.”

CAPITO-SUPPORTED PROVISIONS INCLUDED:

  • Language included from the Multiple Substance Impaired Driving Prevention Act, which would increase national investment to address multiple substance impaired driving by allowing states to spend Section 405 incentive grant funds on programs and technologies to better identify, monitor, or treat impaired drivers.

  • The Reduced Impaired Driving for Everyone (RIDE) Act, which is legislation that Senator Capito co-sponsored to prevent drunk driving.

  • Codification of the Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council and the promulgation of safety regulations for high-speed rail.

  • Protection of Amtrak’s long-distance routes, including those in West Virginia.

  • Expansion of the CRISI Program to include innovative rail projects.

  • Language included from the Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety (HAULS) Act, which Senator Capito co-sponsored that would target reforms to agriculture and livestock haulers’ truck hours of service exemptions. Additionally, the inclusion of this amendment would maintain safety, while ensuring these groups can move their live and/or perishable goods.

  • Language included from the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) Act, legislation Senator Capito co-sponsored that would address the nation’s growing truck driver shortage by providing job opportunities to young truckers and enhance safety training. The language would allow West Virginians the opportunity to pursue a career and attend and apprenticeship program to provide them with rigorous training.

 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

In May, the EPW Committee unanimously passed the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, which sets a new baseline funding level at a historic high of $303.5 billion for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs for highways, roads, and bridges.

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