RSI Statement on the Introduction of the INVEST in America Act

Washington, D.C. – Railway Supply Institute (RSI) Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs Nicole Brewin released the following statement in response to the introduction of the INVEST in America Act:

“The introduction of the INVEST in America Act is an important step toward making once-in-a-generation federal investments in our nation’s rail infrastructure that will connect communities, improve safety and security, repair and replace aging fleets, and implement new clean and efficient technologies while creating and sustaining tens of thousands of jobs in the railway supply industry.

“Specifically, this bill would strengthen the Buy America program to ensure that domestic content requirements are rigorously enforced, close loopholes that allow foreign state-owned enterprises to exploit American tax dollars and create new safeguards in the freight railcar manufacturing industry that will preserve a competitive playing field for years to come. The INVEST in America Act would also significantly increase funding for commuter rail and passenger rail systems that would allow for continued growth to meet our nation’s mobility needs. 

“As this legislation moves forward, RSI also encourages Congress to strive to continue the tradition of moving such a robust infrastructure forward in a bipartisan fashion. While railway suppliers are eager to help make this bill’s vision a reality, we urge members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to take the opportunity to make changes during the committee markup that defer certain controversial and prescriptive provisions of this bill to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the industry’s existing collaboration forums, and the regulatory process and focus instead on making the transformational investments and policy reforms that will grow our economy and move America forward.”