In New Letter to Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Pressley Calls for Investments in Public Transit, Including Fare-Free Transit Programs, ADA Compliance, Safety Improvements, in Upcoming Surface Transportation Bill

Letter Text (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Future of Transportation Caucus, led 14 colleagues in sending a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen urging they prioritize affordability, accessibility, and sustainability in crafting the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill—including by investing in fare-free transit. These priorities reflect the mission of the Future of Transportation Caucus, which reimagines America’s transportation systems to center equity, access, and sustainability.

Congresswoman Pressley is the lead House sponsor of the Freedom to Move Act, legislation to support state and local efforts to establish public transportation as a public good through fare-free services.

“In a moment when there is greater reliance on public transit, your leadership is critical to safeguard significant progress that improves our nation’s transportation infrastructure,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter. “For the future of transportation, we encourage the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to prioritize affordability, accessibility, and sustainability.”

In her letter, Rep. Pressley called for meaningful investments in fare-free transit programs—as piloted in the Massachusetts 7^th—to increase ridership and reduce financial barriers to mobility, in paratransit services to ensure people with disabilities can access public transit, and in infrastructure updates to protect the safety of passengers.

“Fare-free transit is not just a popular policy idea, it is a proven tool for saving taxpayers money, reducing traffic congestion, and expanding access to opportunity. These benefits are especially important when we consider the unequal burden of transportation costs across income levels,” the lawmakers continued.

“Although the White House’s budget proposal called for deep cuts to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities, we must authorize funding in paratransit services to allow people with disabilities access to work, school, healthcare, and other destinations,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “Investing in accessibility provides localities and states with the necessary funding to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and ensure riders with disabilities access to our public transit system.”

“Many of our Congressional Districts have experienced deadly public transit accidents, including instances of train malfunctions and onboard fires that underscore the need for renewed attention to safety and system upkeep. Furthermore, outdated systems contribute significantly to harmful emissions, highlighting the urgency of transitioning to cleaner, more efficient technologies. Hence, we request the Committee make investments that will help future generations benefit from our public transit infrastructure,” the lawmakers continued.

Joining Congresswoman Pressley in sending the letter are Representatives Mark Takano, Chuy Garcia, LaMonica McIver, Hank Johnson, Delia Ramirez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cleo Fields, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rashida Tlaib, Dan Goldman, Pramila Jayapal, Lateefah Simon, Ilhan Omar, and André Carson.

The text of the letter is available here.

Rep. Pressley has long championed legislation and efforts to increase access to free, safe, reliable, and accessible public transit systems will help improve community livability and mobility, increase connectivity to critical services, and address many of our nation’s most severe inequities.

In August 2025, Rep. Pressley, alongside Sen. Markey and Mayor Michelle Wu, celebrated successful fare-free transit programs announced their continued efforts to implement fare-free public transportation in Boston and across the Commonwealth.

To advance these efforts at the federal level, Rep. Pressley and Sen. Markey reintroduced the Freedom to Move Act in July 2025, legislation to enact fare-free transit. Rep. Pressley and Sen. Markey originally introduced the Freedom to Move Act in June 2020.

Following the bill’s introduction, Senator Markey, Congresswoman Pressley, and then-Councilor Michelle Wu published an op-ed that discussed the bill and the need to fund public transportation as a public good.

In July 2020, the House of Representatives passed the Moving Forward Act that included a fare-free pilot program modeled after the two lawmakers’ Freedom to Move Act.

In August 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Markey called on the MBTA to make the entire T fare-free for the duration of the Orange Line’s shutdown.

###