ABA Thanks Congressional Supporters Committed to Helping the Industry Survive COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. – The American Bus Association (ABA) – the leading organization representing the motorcoach industry in North America, as well as the group travel industry – thanks the 120 Congressional Representatives and Senators, representing both parties, who demonstrated their support for the U.S. motorcoach industry by signing onto Dear Colleague Letters to leaders of the U.S. House and Senate supporting federal assistance for the industry, in response to the devastation caused by COVID-19.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States more than 90 percent of the industry’s 36,000 buses are sitting idle and its nearly 100,000 strong workforce has been furloughed. According to the American Bus Association Foundation research the industry will lose more than $8 billion dollars before Americans are clear to start traveling again.
“As demonstrated at the National Bus Rally held last week in Washington, D.C., our industry needs direct assistance from Congress and soon or it will fail, leaving millions of Americans stranded without a means of transportation,” said ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso. “These Representatives and Senators heard us and want to help – they care about their constituents, workers and travelers alike, and understand the importance of our industry to average citizens across this country. They also understand that transportation needs are not a partisan issue but affect every walk of life – and that transportation needs to be up and running when this country is ready to get back to work.”
The House Dear Colleague letter was led by Reps. Albio Sires (NJ-8) and John Katko (NY-24) and signed by:
Co-Leads:
Rep. John Katko (R-NY)
Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ)
Co-Signers:
Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
Rep. Andre’ Carson (D-IN)
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN)
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO)
Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY)
Rep. Anthony G. Brown (D-MD)
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ)
Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL)
Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR)
Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)
Rep. Carol D. Miller (R-WV)
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA)
Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL)
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA)
Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL)
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA)
Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ)
Rep. David Trone (D-MD)
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Rep. Ed Case (D-HI)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Rep. Elaine G. Luria (D-VA)
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)
Rep. French Hill (R-AR)
Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA)
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)
Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis(R-FL)
Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr (D-GA)
Rep. J. Luis Correa (D-CA)
Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA)
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)
Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
Rep. John B. Larson (D-CT)
Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI)
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH)
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK)
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY)
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI)
Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL)
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL)
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)
Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA)
Rep. Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-AZ)
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA)
Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN)
Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY)
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA)
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-CA)
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)
Rep. Stacey E. Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands)
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV)
Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA)
Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY)
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)
Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN)
Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ)
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX)
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
Rep. William R. Keating (D-MA)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led a similar letter in the Senate, joined by:
Co-Leads:
Steve Daines (R-MT) – Co-lead
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) – Co-lead
Co-Signers:
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Cory Booker (D-NJ)
John Boozman (R-AR)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Richard M. Burr (R-NC)
Thomas R. Carper (D-DE)
Bob Casey (D-PA)
Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Angus King (I-ME)
Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Gary Peters (D-MI)
Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Thom Tillis (R-NC)
Elizabeth Warrant (D-MA)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
“We give thanks and want to specifically recognize Sens. Daines and Van Hollen and Reps. Katko and Sires for their leadership on this bipartisan effort support,” said Pantuso. “We now look to them, as negotiations begin on the next legislative relief package, to fight for desperately needed funding to bridge our industry through this unprecedented crisis.”
About the Motorcoach Industry:
The motorcoach industry completes 600 million passenger trips annually. Motorcoaches connect cities; connect rural areas to urban centers, serve as the only means of intercity transportation in many parts of America; serve workers in every part of the country including commuters in urban environments and business campuses, mines, oilfield workers, etc.; serve the security and strategic needs of the country by moving troops and taking people out of harm’s way during hurricanes; connect families and friends; bring travelers to tourist destinations and generate more than $237 billion in transportation, travel and tourism revenue.
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