Changing Administration priorities, new federal appointees, and upcoming funding reauthorizations dominated the Association’s 2025 federal advocacy agenda.
By Arianna Smith
Managing Editor
Transit California 
Transit agencies and their communities are facing warnings of a coming national recession, major proposed changes to the federal budget, and ongoing cuts to grants that fund transit projects and programs. Similarly at the state level, California is facing a deficit and state budget cuts. Meanwhile, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is up for reauthorization by Congress next year. Against the backdrop of these possible upheavals to transit, the Association sent a core team to Washington, D.C. to emphasize the need to prioritize transit.
The Association’s 2025 Federal Lobby Day took place on April 29 and 30 with a delegation comprised of leaders from the Association’s Executive Committee and Federal Legislative Committee. Members met with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), House professional and legislative staff, Senate professional and legislative staff, and Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) leadership.
The Association’s Team and Key Legislative Meetings
The Association’s 2025 delegation included the following Association members who serve as leaders of relevant committees: Sharon Cooney, CEO of San Diego MTS; Erin Rogers, CEO/GM of Omnitrans; Georgia Gann Dohrmann, Assistant Director of Legislation and Public Affairs at MTC; Alexis Carter, Senior Government Relations Representative at OCTA; Lauren Gularte, Government & Regulatory Affairs of WETA; Seamus Murphy, Executive Director of WETA; and Otis Greer, Director of Legislative and Public Affairs at SBCTA. The Association also sent staff advocates Michael Pimentel, Executive Director and Brendan Repicky, Legislative & Regulatory Advocate.
Association members met several legislators and staffers who serve on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, including California Representatives Laura Friedman, Mark DeSaulnier, and Julia Brownley, as well as staff for Reps. Jared Huffman, Salud Carbajal, John Garamendi, and Robert Garcia. The Committee has jurisdiction over proposed laws of all modes of transportation, including mass transit, highways, ferries, and railroads; it also oversees the US Department of Transportation.
Association members also met with legislators and staffers who serve on the House Appropriations Committee, including California Rep. Pete Aguilar and staff for Rep. Ken Calvert (Staff) House Appropriations Committee, which oversees the federal budget and federal spending.
On the Senate side, members brought the Association's message to staffers in the offices of California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff; the Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee; and Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee.
Association members also met with the Acting Administrator of the Federal Transportation Administration.
The Association’s Message to Washington
With a new session of Congress underway and a new Presidential Administration, the Association set out to reintroduce the organization to policymakers, reiterate longstanding Association principles and constituent benefits from transit, and make progress on Association priorities.
The Association primarily focused on educating legislators and staff about the IIJA’s positive impact on California transit, and on the benefits of continuing to invest in transit as the IIJA’s reauthorization deadline for expiration or extension approaches in September 2026. Members found bipartisan interest in transit’s ability to drive economic growth directly through jobs in construction manufacturing, operations, and maintenance, and indirectly by helping facilitate regional economic activity.
The Association urged the California Congressional delegation to support enacting a long-term reauthorization bill that will maintain IIJA baseline funding levels while also accounting for inflation, secure at least 20% of the Highway Trust Fund’s federal surface transportation funding for federal transit programs and oppose reductions or elimination of federal funding for transit programs from the General Fund. Additionally, the Association requested the maintenance of federal and local match requirements for transportation projects, the preservation of tax-exempt status for bonds, and the restoration of the ability to issue tax-exempt Advance Refunding Bonds. Members also requested that Congress extend the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit, maintain transportation fringe benefits, and restore the ability for employers to deduct transit pass expenses. Finally, the Association delegation explained the need to include flexibility in the reauthorization for a variety of existing requirements, includingBuy America, spare ratio, and drivers’ licensure to account for vehicle and component availability issues, technology readiness, and staffing challenges.
Washington’s Initial Response
With regard to the importance of public transit, the new Administration’s representatives indicated to Association members that they are prioritizing job development and economic activity, and they are now placing less emphasis than the previous Administration on environmental impacts and air quality improvements.
In related news, the new Administration’s Department of Labor has reversed the position from the previous Administration on the court case related to California’s Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA). The Association now anticipates that the federal government will continue to certify California transit agency grant applications throughout the remainder of this Administration’s tenure. As a result of this change, the Association did not prioritize discussing PEPRA issues during advocacy meetings. (For more information about the Association’s work on protecting these certifications, see California Transit’s August 2024 article).
Additionally, despite high public polarization amongst lawmakers for federal spending and policy priorities, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers expressed clear interest in making progress on several key transit areas. At most meetings, policymakers wanted to know more about how they could help transit agencies streamline project delivery processes. They also indicated interest in policies that would help ensure that California transit agencies can complete projects quickly, bring down project costs, and deliver projects on time. Legislators also broadly indicated interest in transit topics including workforce development and training, as well as transit agency needs for supporting fleets and maintaining a state of good repair. Democrats continued to express interest in the ongoing transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles.
Association members also met with Tariq Bokhari, Acting Administrator of FTA. Mr. Bokhari acknowledged FTA’s longstanding perspective that public transit is a vital investment. However, under the new Administration, the focus has shifted toward providing congestion relief, delivering mobility for families, and driving job creation. He reiterated Congressmembers’ desire to “cut red tape,” and solicited information about existing FTA policies that challenge the ability of agencies to begin and complete projects.
What Association Members Should Do Next
Association members who want to help maximize the benefits of the federal advocacy program can help, whether or not they serve on the Federal Legislative Committee.
To respond to the FTA’s statements, the Association is currently developing recommendations regarding FTA policies and practices that could be streamlined. Agencies are invited to share with the Federal Legislative Committee their recent experiences complying with existing FTA requirements that are duplicative, onerous, or just don’t make much sense.
To provide updates to the California Congressional delegation as they consider updates to the IIJA and other transit-related policy changes, the Association is interested in providing more specific requests from Association members.
An important policy area where Association members can provide guidance is in the Association’s stated priority to streamline requirements associated with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As agencies are aware, NEPA, like the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), provides categorical exclusions for certain activities. While transit agencies were relieved of many onerous, expensive CEQA requirements thanks to the Association’s work on California State Senator Wiener’s 2022 legislation SB 922, agencies continue to face hurdles to starting or continuing critical transit projects due to NEPA requirements. While Congress is unlikely to do away with NEPA altogether, congressmembers may be open to relieving Association members of certain frustrating NEPA requirements if they have specific information.
Association staff requests that Association members provide to Executive Director Michael Pimentel specific information about costs and timelines for completing NEPA-related requirements and documents to make the case for NEPA relief. Similarly, Association members are encouraged and welcome to provide specific project costs and timeline hurdles about permitting from other federal agencies, departments, boards, and commissions.
The Federal advocacy trip came back with clear interest from both parties in addressing cost overruns and timeline delays, and the Association is ready to help achieve positive policy outcomes for members.