DAVIS, CA – At a transportation forum in Davis on Ultra-Light Rail Transit, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), a former Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, gave the keynote address emphasizing the importance of smart transit investments and Make It In America policies to rebuild American manufacturing.

 

"We are very fortunate that Senator Boxer and Democrats in Congress fought tooth and nail for every scrap of public transportation investment in the most recent transit bill," Congressman Garamendi said. "Congress passed a good bipartisan bill. Now let's make sure every dollar of transportation investment in America goes toward getting Americans back to work."

 

The forum discussions focused on the new Ultra-Light Rail Transit technology, which was developed in partnership with Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, and is designed to be safer, quieter, less expensive, and more convenient than traditional rail technologies already in use. The symposium was sponsored by the Tri-Valley's public-private partnership i-GATE along with the City of Davis and Cybertran, Inc. The new transportation bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which is now law, provides discretionary grant funding for innovative public transit projects, like the Ultra-Light Rail Transit technology that was discussed at this forum in Davis.

 

Garamendi added, "Today, I was stuck in traffic on the Bay Bridge, in the Caldecott Tunnel, and on I-80 – a typical California experience. Our state, which leads the world in technology, cultural exports, and agriculture, can do much better. Thankfully, our state is home to world class research centers and trailblazing businesses that can partner to create world class transportation systems that will propel our economy forward."

 

Congressman Garamendi voted for the bipartisan transportation bill, noting at the time that its biggest drawback was a lack of Make It In America policies. Congressman Garamendi is the author of two Make It In America bills to rebuild America's manufacturing sector by requiring all transportation and clean energy goods and equipment purchased with federal taxpayer dollars to include at least 85 percent American content, up from the current federal minimum of 66 percent.

 

Video of the Davis forum will be available within the next few days at iGATE's website linked here.