Congresswoman Duckworth Calls for Transit Benefits to be Restored in Schaumburg
Congresswoman Duckworth Calls for Transit Benefits to be Restored in Schaumburg
CONTACT:
Bryan DeAngelis
bdeangelis@asgk.com
202-674-9215
Washington DC (January 24, 2014) - Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) met with commuters at the Schaumburg Metra station to raise awareness about the transit tax benefits that were cut on January 1st. Duckworth is a cosponsor and strong advocate for the Commuter Parity Act of 2013. This bipartisan legislation will restore the transit benefits lost this year and provide a $220 transit tax benefit for those who qualify.
“My neighbors rely on public transportation as an efficient and reliable way to commute to and from work each day,” said Duckworth. “The transit tax benefit helps to make commuting more affordable and many use that savings to meet other family needs. More than 2.7 million American families across the country are now threatened with higher commuter transit costs, and many families have seen their out-of-pocket transportation costs double. This is simply not fair to American workers or their employers. Transit benefits are good for our economy and they are good for Illinois' working families. With all the partisanship in Washington right now, investing in transportation is an area where we can come together to create jobs and improve the quality of life for our constituents.”
"The recently expired pre-tax benefits for public transit are crucial for commuters across the country and in the Chicagoland area - where we know that at least 46,000+ daily riders have been affected by the loss of transit benefits. This is simply unacceptable," said Getting America to Work Advisory Board Member, Leanne Redden. "We want to thank Congresswoman Duckworth for her continued support of transit, and for signing on as a cosponsor to the Commuter Benefits Act to restore transit parity. It's our hope that her colleagues in Washington follow her lead to help keep commuting affordable for millions of American families."
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