{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/following-i-95-collapse-booker-fetterman-introduce-bill-to-make-fta-emergency-response-program-work-better", "Following I-95 Collapse, Booker, Fetterman Introduce Bill to Make FTA Emergency Response Program Work Better", "2023-10-18", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NJ", "Cory A. Booker", "B001288", "www.booker.senate.gov", "booker", "https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Fetterman (D-PA), along with thirteen Senate colleagues, today introduced the Transit Emergency Relief Act, a new bill to improve the Federal Transit Administration\u2019s (FTA) Emergency Response (ER) Program. The bill would bring the FTA ER program into parity with the Federal Highway Administration\u2019s (FHWA) program that serves the same purpose for America\u2019s highways and road infrastructure. The Transit Emergency Relief Actwould provide a consistent funding source for FTA emergency response and grant flexibility to FTA in how funds are allocated so that transit emergencies can receive appropriate funding.\n\n\"This vital legislation will ensure that our transit systems have the support and flexibility they need to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies,\u201d said Senator Booker. \u201cAmericans rely on transit agencies to keep our public transport running, even after natural disasters. This bill is about improving emergency responses, providing relief to transit agencies, and safeguarding the critical services that our communities rely on.\"\n\n\u201cThe bottom line is that emergencies should be met with emergency level responses. The collapse and twelve day rebuild of I-95 showed what is possible when we get federal dollars out the door quickly,\u201d said Senator Fetterman. \u201cCurrently, FTA Emergency Response can take months, if not years, to get to transit agencies that need it. Because of this, when disaster strikes, agencies\u2014 which are often already strapped for cash\u2014are forced to foot the bill and hope FTA can reimburse later. The Federal Emergency Relief Act is a simple fix to make a federal program work better and bring real relief to the transit operators that Pennsylvanians rely on.\u201d\n\nFTA ER funds currently take months if not years get to transit operators after natural disasters and other emergencies that negatively impact transit infrastructure, which impedes transit agencies\u2019 abilities to effectively respond to these emergencies. This is in large part because FTA ER funds are only authorized by Congress after disasters that affect transit infrastructure. In contrast, FHWA\u2019s Emergency Relief program can get money where it needs to go mere days after disaster strikes because it has a standing $100 million funding authorization from the Highway Trust Fund.\n\nFollowing the I-95 collapse in Philadelphia, for example, federal dollars through the FHWA Emergency Relief program helped one of the commonwealth\u2019s most important highways get repaired in just 12 days.\n\nThe legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/following-i-95-collapse-booker-fetterman-introduce-bill-to-make-fta-emergency-response-program-work-better"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9296000245958567, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}