WASHINGTON – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement announcing the introduction of H.R. 3788, The Mobility, Opportunity and Vocation Enabling (MOVE) Act:

“America is falling behind when it comes to our transportation needs. This doesn’t just mean driving on crumbling roads – it means missed opportunities to provide transportation equity that can help reduce poverty, unemployment and the financial burdens of people who work hard for a living. By providing greater access to jobs and more affordable, accessible transportation options, we can help communities thrive.

“We must invest in our transportation needs and spend the dollars wisely. The MOVE Act would help increase connections to jobs, provide more options for getting around, and help ensure that all Americans have access to the benefits of our transportation infrastructure.”

The MOVE Act will direct the Department of Transportation to create performance measures for transportation planning that would assess:

• Cumulative increase in residents’ connection to jobs;
• Accessibility for disadvantaged populations; and
• The variety of modes of transportation available to users, such as public transportation, roads and highways, and bike and pedestrian pathways.

State departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations would then set performance targets under each measure and report their progress in reaching these targets to the public.

Organizations endorsing the MOVE Act include: Transportation for America, PolicyLink, and the Center for Popular Democracy.

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