Ventura County Congresswoman to Continue Serving on Transportation Committee in 116th Congress

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) today introduced two pieces of legislation that would increase local infrastructure investments, improve safety, create jobs, and reduce congestion. Specifically, the first bill would eliminate tax subsidies for Big Oil and redirect those funds to the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program, which helps states and localities fund infrastructure projects. The second bill would increase the portion of the STBG program that goes directly to local communities, like Ventura County.

“Our nation’s roads, bridges, and transit systems are in dire need of repair,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “What better way to invest in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure than by getting rid of a tax windfall for Big Oil? In addition to increasing investment, we also need to make sure that more funds are going directly to the local level, where transportation planning officials know their own communities’ needs best. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will continue to work to ensure local transportation projects, including right here in Ventura County, get the funding and support they need.”

Brownley has served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since 2015, and last week she was named to the Highways and Transit Subcommittee and the Aviation Subcommittee for the 116th Congress.

Surface Transportation Investment Act

The Surface Transportation Investment Act would eliminate tax subsidies for Big Oil, and instead direct those funds to the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, which provides federal funds for state and local infrastructure projects.

The text of the bill is available here.

Support Local Transportation Act

When Congress developed the FAST Act in 2015, Congresswoman Brownley worked with Members on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to ensure that a larger portion of a state’s Surface Transportation Block Grant Program went directly to local communities, up to 55% of the funds. The Support Local Transportation Act would further increase the set-aside to 65% for local communities to ensure more of our federal dollars are sent directly to the local level, because communities know their needs best.

The text of the bill is available here.

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