Rep. Gillen Champions Road and Railway Safety and Workers at House Surface Transportation Reauthorization Markup
A video of the full remarks is available HERE.
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (D-NY-04) delivered remarks during the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s markup of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization package, highlighting her commitment to advancing bipartisan solutions that enhance safety and improve the well-being of Long Islanders and Americans nationwide.
Rep. Gillen is proud that the package includes several bipartisan pieces of legislation she has authored focused on traffic safety and saving lives. The legislation also includes two provisions from the bipartisan Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act, which she introduced with Congressman Lawler (R-NY-17) and Congresswoman Dingell (D-MI-06), to address drunk and drug-involved driving on our roads, along with legislation that will help educate parents about the importance of properly installed and compliant car seats.
Rep. Gillen has consistently prioritized public safety through her work on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She has introduced bipartisan legislation to improve roadway safety by authorizing the use of federal Surface Transportation Block Grants to replace dangerous intersections with roundabouts, helping reduce traffic collisions and fatalities. In addition, Rep. Gillen introduced bipartisan rail safety legislation that would grant the Federal Railroad Administration greater authority to oversee rail dispatching systems and hold vendors accountable for the safety and reliability of their products.
(Remarks as prepared for delivery)
“Thank you Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen.”
“I rise today in strong support of the underlying surface transportation package. This legislation builds on the historic progress made through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and continues our bipartisan commitment to creating a transportation system that is safer, stronger and better prepared for the future.”
“This bill makes critical investments in both our transportation infrastructure and, equally important, our transportation safety. It will support projects that my community on Long Island and others across the country rely on every day. It will strengthen and create programs aimed at reducing crashes and improving our roadway safety. And it will protect and honor our transportation workforce – the hardworking men and women who maintain our highways, operate our transit systems, and keep us moving safely and efficiently across the country.”
“I am especially grateful that this package includes several bipartisan pieces of legislation I have authored focused on traffic safety and saving lives. One provision will help educate parents about the importance of properly installed and compliant car seats. Noncompliant and counterfeit car seats put babies' and children’s lives at risk due to improper testing, inadequate safety features and poor construction. This leaves our children vulnerable in the moments that matter most.”
“My bipartisan bill, the CAR SEAT Act, which I introduced with Delegate Kind-Hinds and Congressman Mackenzie, will ensure that parents have the education and resources they need to identify and avoid these dangerous products and give states the tools to keep every child safe on the road.”
“Protecting our children is not optional and we must do everything we can to make sure every car seat is safe for them. By expanding education and awareness, we can help prevent tragedies before they happen.”
“The bill also includes two provisions from my bipartisan Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act, which I introduced with Congressman Lawler and Congresswoman Dingell, to address drunk and drug-involved driving on our roads.”
“The first would create a new Traffic Safety Enforcement Center of Excellence to provide states with evidence-backed insights into the most effective forms of traffic enforcement.
And the second would help us improve our data collection on drug-involved crashes by investing more than $100 million in a new National Drug-Involved Crash Data Collection System grant program, giving states more support than ever before to report accurate, standardized crash data.”
“When I got to Congress and was appointed to this Committee, I promised Long Islanders that I would fight to improve Nassau County’s infrastructure, repair our heavily-traveled roads and bridges, and prioritize safety. I am glad that this bill takes a step in the right direction.”
“I urge my colleagues to support the bill and continue investing in a safer and more reliable transportation system for the American people. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.”
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