TRANSPORTATION

Our nation's transportation infrastructure is in trouble. Roads, bridges, seaports, railroads and airways urgently need improvement.  A comprehensive, intermodal effort is required to correct this situation.  Our global economic competitiveness and national security depend upon our response to this challenge.  

As a part of that, Joe believes that it is essential for public transportation to be reliable and affordable for all Americans, especially my constituents. As someone who frequently uses the rail system to travel between Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, he understands your concerns regarding public transportation.

Joe also believes that making a greater investment in railways is an essential investment in the infrastructure stability of our nation.

HIGHLIGHTS OF JOE SESTAK’S LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION

MEMBER OF THE GOODS MOVEMENT CAUCUS

STRONG SUPPORTER OF ECONOMIC STIMULUS (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act)

$64.1 billion for transportation and infrastructure programs.  Of that $1.5 billion goes to Pennsylvania to repair its aging roads, bridges and public transportation systems.

WROTE LETTER SUPPORTING USE OF HIGH-SPEED RAIL STIMULUS FUDING FOR NORTHEAST CORRIDOR

WROTE LETTER TO CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Letter asked for consideration of climate change during Surface Transportation Reauthorization

CO-SPONSORED OF THE COMMUTER ACT

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a refundable tax credit for 50% of the cost of transit passes provided on a tax-free basis to employees.

CO-SPONSORED HR 272 - FREIGHT RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY EXPANSION ACT

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit for 25% of the cost of new qualified freight rail infrastructure property and qualified locomotive property; and (2) a taxpayer election to expense the cost of qualified freight rail infrastructure property (i.e., deduct all costs in the current taxable year). Terminates such credit and expensing election after 2012.

CO-SPONSORED HR 863 - MULTI MODAL COMMUTER TRANSPORT ACT

Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employees to receive transportation fringe benefits for the same month both in the form of transit passes and reimbursement of bicycle commuting expenses.

CO-SPONSOR OF THE LIFE EXTENSION ACT

Requires a state, as a condition of receiving federal-aid highway funding, to develop and implement a highway bridge management system to: (1) identify corrosion mitigation and prevention methods to preserve its highway bridges; (2) establish a project maintenance program to extend the life of such bridges; (3) ensure that all highway bridge designers, inspectors, and maintenance workers implementing the system are trained and certified in corrosion mitigation and prevention techniques; and (4) research current inspection technologies and techniques for highway bridges.

APPROPRIATIONS IN FY08 AND FY09:

$987,500 over two years for US 422 River Crossing Complex Project for the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association to use for reconstruction of US 422 and its interchanges with PA 23 and PA 363 and its Schuylkill River bridges.

$880,000 over two years for the Upper Darby Township Market Street Gateway Project Delaware County which constructs of a 310 space public parking garage that will support SEPTA's 69th Street Terminal, surrounding retail merchants.

$500,000 for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) for the engineering and construction of a multi-modal transportation center in Paoli, Chester County. 

$500,000 for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to purchase 100, 40 foot, low floor alternative fuel hybrid (diesel/electric) powered buses. 

(610) 891-8956 | P.O. Box 1936 Media, PA 19063 | info@joesestak.com