GMI Alliance Alert: Action Items
Today’s word count: 957 words, a 3.5 min. read.
Greetings Alliance Members – Sen. Ossoff’s office has asked us to amplify the Georgia Democratic Delegation’s push to increase funding for transit in the infrastructure bill. So we’re asking you to please consider supporting this effort.
Big picture: Supporting initiatives important to our representatives makes it easier for them to support you 😊. For your reference, the letter can be found here.
Additionally, Sen. Ossoff recently sponsored the Public Transportation Expansion Act which calls for a grant program that connects affordable housing to new transit construction grants, among other things.
Go deeper: Scroll down for more info and details on what you can do. Revise the tweets as you see fit, and please add your House representative where the Senators are mentioned if s/he is on the letter.
Here’s Some Talking Points
Transit is vital for urban, suburban, and rural communities across our nation. Investments in transit are a matter of equity and racial and economic justice.
Black Americans are three times less likely to own a car than white Americans. Among urban residents, Latino Americans are twice as likely compared to white Americans to regularly use public transit.
The Georgia Democratic Delegation is pushing to secure $30 billion for transit in the upcoming reconciliation bill so that Georgians and all Americans have the transportation equity to get to work, school, grocery stores, and hospitals.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill served as an important first step toward making the necessary investments in public transit, but it did not go far enough to meet the needs of everyday Americans — especially low-income Americans and people of color.
Public transportation has been historically underfunded for years, hurting low-income individuals and people of color the most.
Increasing access to public transportation is also essential in our work to fight the climate crisis and boost economic justice by connecting historically underserved communities with economic opportunities — all while cutting carbon emissions.
Helpful Statistics
In Georgia, where Black and minority voters delivered the Senate majority:
- Just one in 14 low-income households in Metro Atlanta live within a half-mile of a high-capacity transit stop
- 60% of Metro Atlanta residents cannot access a grocery or convenience store within 30 minutes by transit
- 70% of Metro Atlanta residents cannot access a single health care facility within 30 minutes by transit
- Two-thirds of Metro Atlanta’s transit commuters are essential workers
- In the City of Augusta, Black residents comprise 79% of public transit commuters
The Capitol Switchboard
. . . where you can reach the offices of Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Chairman DeFazio, or Chairman Brown: 202-224-3121
Tweets to Amplify
NEW: Sens. @Ossoff, Warnock and every member of the Georgia Democratic delegation are joining Senate Banking Committee members to ask leadership to commit at least $30 billion to transit to make a transformative investment for Georgians of color who delivered the Senate.
link here –>
https://twitter.com/MiryamLipper/status/1433533023866298371?s=20
• Sens. @Ossoff, @ReverendWarnock, and Georgia’s Democratic delegation are leading the charge to increase transit funding and invest in communities of color. #gapol
link here —> https://twitter.com/GeorgiaDemocrat/status/1435334661199171586?s=20
• In Atlanta, only one-in-14 low-income households live within a half-mile of a high capacity transit stop. That’s why Sen. @ossoff is leading a push to secure $30 billion in the reconciliation bill for public transportation.
link here –> https://twitter.com/Jake_Best_/status/1435699676011978752?s=20
Social Media Post Examples
Communities of color are less likely to have equitable access to reliable transportation. An additional $30 billion in transit funding would transform lives. We support Georgia Democrats’ call to include this vital funding in the reconciliation bill. https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/21.09.01_Georgia-Delegation_Transit.pdf
Black Georgians delivered Democrats the United States Senate so they could take bold action to improve the lives of Georgia’s communities of color. It’s time Congress delivers real transit equity in reconciliation. @SenSchumer @SpeakerPelosi
@SenSchmer @SpeakerPelosi @SenSherrodBrown we urge you to support Sen. @ossoff and @SenatorWarnock’s call and include at least $30 billion in the reconciliation for public transportation. This is about equity, jobs, economic opportunity, and environmental justice.
Lack of access to transit impedes economic opportunities and hurts minority communities the most. Congress must include additional funding for transit in the reconciliation bill — RT if you support @SenatorWarnock and Sen. @ossoff’s push to secure more money for transit.
Expanding transit means expanding access to economic opportunities, affordable housing, & addressing the climate crisis. We support Sen. @ossoff, @SenatorWarnock, @SenWarren, @SenTinaSmith, & Sen. @ChrisVanHollen’s call to add $30B in transit funding to the reconciliation bill.
Access to transit means access to health care. 70% of Metro Atlanta residents cannot access a single health care facility within 30 minutes by transit. Join us in calling on Congress to put more funding for transit into the reconciliation bill.
Working-class people often rely on public transportation to get to work. We commend and support @SenatorWarnock and Sen. @ossoff’s push for $30B in transit funding in the reconciliation bill and call on @SenSchumer and @SpeakerPelosi to include this in the reconciliation bill.
Low-income Georgians and Georgians of color are disproportionately affected by the lack of current transit options. An additional $30B in the reconciliation bill would have a historic impact on communities across the country.
Low-income families need both affordable transportation and housing to thrive. We support the call for an additional $30 billion in transit funding in the reconciliation package to ensure communities have access to the resources they need.
We need a substantial investment in transit to tackle the transportation crisis affecting urban, suburban, and rural communities across the nation. That’s why we support Sen. @ossoff and @SenatorWarnock’s push for $30 billion in transit funding in the reconciliation bill.
With an additional $30 billion in transit funding, we can increase mobility for all Georgians and people nationwide. That’s why we support @SenatorWarnock and Sen. @ossoff’s push to include these resources in the reconciliation bill. @SenSchumer @SpeakerPelosi