REPS. ELLEN TAUSCHER AND JERRY MCNERNEY HOST TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT WITH LOCAL, FEDERAL OFFICIALS

Lawmakers Take Helicopter Tour of Congestion Areas with Chair of Highways Subcommittee

Dublin , CA –Rep. Ellen Tauscher (Calif.-10) and Rep. Jerry McNerney (Calif.-11) spent the day focusing on the transportation needs of northern California by taking a helicopter tour of congestion areas and hosting a Transportation Summit attended by decision-makers at the local, state, and federal levels.  Reps. Tauscher and McNerney were joined today by their colleague, Chairman Peter DeFazio, who heads the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, which is the panel charged with making spending decisions for the nation’s roadways. 

“Congressman McNerney and I invited Chairman DeFazio for two reasons; to give our communities’ transportation leaders the opportunity to have a dialogue with the person who will have the responsibility for allocating federal transportation dollars when the next bill comes before Congress, and so that the Chairman could see first hand what we in the Bay Area are dealing with everyday,” said Rep. Tauscher. “After today I am confident that Chairman DeFazio knows the obstacles that are keeping us on the road longer and longer each year, and that being self-help communities make us a wiser investment for the federal dollars that we need and deserve.” 

“The transportation needs of the Tri-Valley and other cities in the Bay Area have never been greater,” McNerney stated.  “We’re all spending more time in traffic and less with our families, and today’s summit allows us to draw attention to our successes as well as the future transportation needs of the region.”

“I’m pleased that we were able to bring together the most important figures from the local, state, and federal governments to highlight our regional transportation issues,” McNerney stated.  “This is how you get things done, and now we’ll be well positioned at the federal level to make the case for California .”   

“I want to thank Congressman McNerney and Congresswoman Tauscher for inviting me to participate in today’s helicopter tour and Transportation Summit,” DeFazio said. “ Northern California faces significant transportation challenges, but with the leadership of Congressman McNerney and Congresswoman Tauscher, the area is well positioned for future improvements.”

Congressman McNerney and Congresswoman Tauscher hosted the Transportation Summit : Spanning Counties, Issues, and Solutions to highlight the successes of transportation projects in the Bay Area and Central Valley and to bring attention to the needs of one of the most congested areas in the country.  Other than McNerney and Tauscher, speakers at the event included Rep. Peter DeFazio, Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee; Will Kempton, Director, CA Department of Transportation; Steve Heminger, Executive Director of MTC; and Andy Chesley, Executive Director of San Joaquin COG