FROM: Hilary O. Shelton, Director, NAACP Washington Bureau ~ NAACP Calls For Swift Passage of Highway Reauthorization Bill Which Focuses on Job Creation and Civil Rights Enforcement:
THE ISSUE:
If Congress does not pass a comprehensive surface transportation bill by the end of
March, 2012, our country runs the risk of a cessation of all federal funding for
maintenance, repair and / or construction of our nation’s roads, highways, bridges, mass
transit and rail systems. Not only will this put at risk and devastate our already crumbling
infrastructure, it will mean 1.8 million Americans will lose their jobs!
This is unacceptable.
At a time when our national unemployment rate is hovering stubbornly between 8% and
9% (and is even higher, over 13%, for African Americans) and our country’s infrastructure
is in dire need of repair (70,000 of our nation’s bridges are structurally deficient and over
50% of our roads are not up to standard), we need an aggressive and thorough plan which
creates jobs, meets the transportation needs of all Americans and conforms with existing
civil rights laws. Specifically, the NAACP calls on Congress to adhere to five standard
principles when developing their transportation policy for the foreseeable future. These
principles are:
• Preserve and expand existing programs that fund essential transportation options, to
include bicycling, walking, and multiple forms of public transportation;
• Expand access to quality transportation jobs for the chronically-unemployed, lowincome
people, individuals with disabilities, women, and communities of color;
• Strengthen enforcement of existing civil rights provisions, including Title VI of the
civil Rights Act of 1964;
• Improve transportation outcomes through strategic planning with measures that
promote economic and social equity; and
• Reform transportation funding to lower household expenses and foster community
development.
Both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives are currently crafting their
versions of the transportation reauthorization bill. We need to be loud and advocate
clearly for an aggressive, comprehensive plan which invests in our nation, creates jobs,
addresses the transportation needs of all Americans and strengthens the enforcement of
existing civil rights laws.
WASHINGTON BUREAU · NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
1156 15TH STREET, NW SUITE 915 · WASHINGTON, DC 20005 · P (202) 463-2940 · F (202) 463-2953
E-MAIL: WASHINGTONBUREAU@NAACPNET.ORG · WEB ADDRESS WWW.NAACP.ORG
THE ACTION WE NEED ADVOCATES (YOU) TO TAKE:
Contact your Representative and both your Senators and URGE THEM TO SUPPORT AN
AGGRESSIVE TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION WHICH INVESTS IN OUR NATION,
CREATES JOBS, ADDRESSES THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF ALL AMERICANS
AND STRENGTHENS THE ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS. To
contact your Senators and Representative, you may:
Make a Phone Call:
Call your Senators and your Representative in Washington by dialing the Capitol
Switchboard and asking to be transferred to your Senators'/Congressman’s offices. The
switchboard phone number is (202) 224-3121 (see message section, below).
Send a Fax
If you would like to send a fax, call your Senators’ or Representative’s offices (through
the Capitol switchboard) and ask for their fax numbers (you can use either the attached
sample letter or the message box, below).
Send an E-Mail
To send an e-mail to your Senators, go to
www.senate.gov; click on “Find Your
Senators”. Look up your Senators by state; go to their web sites for e-mail addresses.
To send an e-mail to your Representative, go to
www.house.gov, and click on “Write
Your Representative” (on the left hand side, just under “find your Representative). This
will help you identify who your congressman is and how to contact him/her.
THE MESSAGE
• We need to develop a comprehensive transportation plan which invests in our
Nation’s infrastructure, creates jobs, meets the transportation needs of all
Americans and conforms with existing civil rights laws.
• Our nation cannot wait: our national unemployment rate is hovering stubbornly between 8% and 9% (and is even higher, over 13%, for African Americans) and our country’s infrastructure is in dire need of repair (70,000 of our nation’s bridges are structurally deficient and over 50% of our roads are not up to standard).
• Inaction is not an option: If Congress does not pass a comprehensive surface
transportation bill by the end of March, 2012, our country runs the risk of a cessation of all federal funding for maintenance, repair or construction of our nation’s infrastructure, which will result in the loss of an estimated 1.8 million jobs.
REMEMBER EACH LETTER OR EMAIL OR PHONE CALL REPRESENTS 1,000 PERSONS IN YOUR DISTRICT! This covers the homeless, unemployed, and persons who need employment, etc. who cannot advocate for themselves. This united effort builds communities. amen, Amen? AMEN!
Become an NAACP member today at
www.naacp.org! Passing the peace,
Posted By: agnes levine
Friday, March 2nd 2012 at 9:17AM
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