The economic and environmental health of Maryland and our nation is interconnected with the growth of our transportation systems. Federal investment in public transportation like MARC, Metro, and Amtrak should be a national priority. Our nation receives extraordinary public benefit from mass transit systems.

They take thousands of cars off our congested highways. They take tons of pollutants out of the air we breathe. They move people efficiently into and out of our most important commercial centers.

I also will continue to back funding for communities surrounding the Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Ft. Meade, Ft. Detrick, Indian Head, Patuxent Naval and Andrews Air Force Base to help them meet the growing transportation demands arising from the base realignment process that will add both jobs and population to the region.

I also have...

• Fought for the development of greenways across our state as alternative routes for local transportation and recreation;



• Led effort to ensure that passenger air service can resume at Hagerstown Airport through the Essential Air Service program, adding stability to local jobs and the local economy until Congress passes the five-year extension of the FAA Reauthorization;



• Authored proposal in the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act to dedicate 1% of the carbon auction proceeds from polluters - an estimated $46 billion - for supporting and expanding the country's mass transit systems;



• Helped boost Baltimore MARC and Washington Metro funding by $45 million to buy more rail cars, helping take thousands of cars off our congested highways; leading the effort to secure $1.5 billion over 10 years to renew Metro's infrastructure, and



• Continuing comprehensive efforts to secure federal funding to improve our statewide highway system.