It’s Time to Speed Dial Your Congressional Representative
Dear Member,
We need your grassroots efforts now! Congress is working on the FY 2022 annual funding, and we need more funding for the CERTS grant program to save the motorcoach industry. Even though we are still waiting for the Treasury Department to release the first round of funding, we already know the program is oversubscribed and needs more funding. So, our House of Representatives CERTS champions from last year have put together a letter on our behalf, making this request – but we need to have other legislators sign-on.
Please help us add names to this Congressional letter by asking your Congressman to add their name to the letter, and push for more funding for the CERTS grant program. It is through your grassroots outreach last year to legislators that the CERTS program was passed, we need your outreach now to keep it alive.
Here is a sample message to send to your Representative, or alternatively call them with the same message:
We are writing to urge support sign on to a letter being circulated by Congressmen LaHood, Sires, Rose and Lowenthal, requesting additional robust funding for the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) grant program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 Financial Services Appropriations Bill for the motorcoach, school bus, and passenger vessel industries devastated by the effects of the pandemic.
“This request is based on the $10 billion funding request originally in H.R. 7642 Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act introduced in the 116th Congress, and supported by 275 Members of the House of Representatives. The FY2021 Omnibus, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, funded the CERTS grant program at $2 billion. This vital funding was provided by Congress to assist these struggling industries to survive. This past year has been incredibly challenging for these vital transportation providers as almost all major sources of business and revenue has been severely restricted or eliminated by state mandated closures – including school and sports-related travel, tourism, and mass public events.
We are encouraged to hear that the Department of Treasury staff is consulting with various industries, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation. However, Treasury has already projected that the program will be over-subscribed, with likely more than 5,000 companies eligible for the $2 billion in funding. It is critical that Congress approve additional robust funding for the CERTS grant program to help motorcoach, school bus and domestic passenger vessel industries recover and return to full health.
The motorcoach industry plays an essential role in national and community transportation networks, providing vital services for large and small as well as urban and rural communities. We strongly support additional investment in the CERTS grant program for FY2021/22. Thank you for your consideration of this important request.”
We were successful this past year and we can do it again! We will not rest until our industry is back to its full capacity.
Here are the contact details for both the House and Senate Appropriations staff.
