Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov
Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. wants more minority and women-owned businesses to compete and earn federal contracts to build America’s roads and bridges. Rep. Payne, Jr., Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and asked him to take the steps necessary to support a disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) program within the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). A DBE program helps increase the participation of minority and women-owned businesses in federally-funded state and local transportation projects. The letter was co-led by Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and signed by 58 Members of Congress, including all the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“Minority businesses have been denied access to federal contracts for too long,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. “We need to make sure these minority and women-owned businesses get the opportunity to help build critical American infrastructure nationwide. These federal contracts are great ways to increase the wealth of minority communities and establish a more diverse federal workforce. I am proud to lead this letter with Rep. Strickland and encourage the creation of this disadvantaged business enterprise program with the full support of the Congressional Black Caucus.”
“As Congress makes much-needed investments in our nation’s infrastructure to revive our economy and create millions of jobs, we have to ensure that we are building an economy that works for all,” said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. “I’m proud to join my friend and colleague, Congressman Payne, Jr., in leading this effort to urge the completion of long overdue equity efforts at the Federal Railroad Administration, which were obstructed by the previous Administration. Taking steps now to end historic discrimination against minority businesses in the rail industry and in federally-funded transportation contracts will only strengthen our nation’s ability to build back better.”
In the letter, Rep. Payne, Jr. wrote that establishing a “DBE program at FRA would be a significant step toward rectifying historic discrimination against DBEs in the rail industry. We will only truly succeed as a nation when we have a level playing field for all qualified businesses seeking opportunities for federally-funded transportation contracts.” Rep. Payne, Jr. asked Secretary Buttigieg to complete a study of possible discrimination in how federal transportation contracts are awarded in the U.S. Department of Transportation. Once the study is complete, Congress can authorize the creation of a DBE program in the FRA.
The full letter is below.
July 21, 2021
The Honorable Pete Buttigieg
Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Re: Docket No. DOT-OST-2021-0056
Dear Secretary Buttigieg:
We appreciate this Administration’s commitment to advancing equity for disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) in the transportation sector. However, the lack of a DBE program at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) within the Department of Transportation (DOT) is a pressing issue that must be addressed in the immediate future.
Establishing a DBE program at FRA would be a significant step toward rectifying historic discrimination against DBEs in the rail industry. We will only truly succeed as a nation when we have a level playing field for all qualified businesses seeking opportunities for federally-funded transportation contracts.
To establish the necessary legal predicate to create a DBE program at FRA, a disparity study must be completed to present evidence of discrimination against minority businesses. Under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-94), DOT was required to complete a disparity study of publicly-funded intercity rail passenger transportation projects.
Shamefully, it has been nearly six years since the enactment of that legislation and the study has yet to be completed, due to various delays and obstruction by the previous Administration. It is now estimated that the study will be complete by the end of 2021. Any further delay would be unacceptable and allow ongoing discrimination against DBEs to continue unabated and unprioritized by the federal government.
We strongly urge you to work with FRA to ensure that the disparity study is completed in a timely manner and the results are promptly transmitted to Congress.
We look forward to working with you and the Administration to ensure a fair shot for all businesses seeking contracting opportunities with DOT.
Sincerely,
Donald M. Payne, Jr. Marilyn Strickland
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Chairman Vice Chair
Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines,
and Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Materials
Eleanor Holmes Norton Gwen Moore
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Nikema Williams Karen Bass
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Eddie Bernice Johnson Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
André Carson Bonnie Watson Coleman
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Terri A. Sewell Barbara Lee
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Bennie G. Thompson Dwight Evans
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Mondaire Jones Frederica S. Wilson
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. Anthony G. Brown
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Kweisi Mfume Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Bobby L. Rush Lauren Underwood
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Troy A. Carter, Sr. A. Donald McEachin
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Danny K. Davis G. K. Butterfield
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Robin L. Kelly Al Lawson
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Stacey E. Plaskett Maxine Waters
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Ritchie Torres Jahana Hayes
Member of Congress Member of Congress
James E. Clyburn Joyce Beatty
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Brenda L. Lawrence Val B. Demings
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Steven Horsford David Scott
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Emanuel Cleaver, II Joe Neguse
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Yvette D. Clarke Al Green
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Gregory W. Meeks Ayanna Pressley
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Marc A. Veasey Cori Bush
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Lisa Blunt Rochester Antonio Delgado
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Colin Z. Allred Robert C. “Bobby” Scott
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Frank Pallone, Jr. Sheila Jackson Lee
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Jefferson Van Drew Hakeem Jeffries
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. Ilhan Omar
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Josh Gottheimer Albio Sires
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Tom Malinowski
Member of Congress
original source can be found here.
