Schakowsky Votes to Advance Long-Term Transportation Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Jan Schakowsky voted in support of the Motion to go to Conference on H.R. 22, The DRIVE Act. She released the following statement after her vote:

It is long past time that we enact a long-term transportation bill to provide certainty to states, localities, businesses, and workers. The motion to go to conference moves that process forward by allowing House and Senate negotiators to hash out a final deal. I was proud to support it.

I did not support the House amendments to the Senate bill because they made several harmful changes to the legislation. The House amendments included provisions to cut Senate-passed increased funding levels for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, eliminate safety requirements for some new cars, allow heavier trucks to travel on certain roads, and weaken EPA auto emissions standards.

The package also did not include an amendment I offered that would have enhanced auto safety by requiring more information-sharing about vehicle safety issues, reducing pedestrian and rear seat deaths, eliminating senseless regional safety recalls, and requiring all recalled vehicles to be fixed, regardless of age.

I hope and expect that the upcoming conference committee will eliminate the harmful provisions added in the House and emerge with a bipartisan bill that will strengthen our infrastructure, economy, and safety.