Bob Menendez: “Chairman Johnson, I completely agree. This language should not be interpreted to encourage or require public-private…”

“Chairman Johnson, I completely agree. This language should not be interpreted to encourage or require public-private partnership activities in transit or give any preference to grantees based on the decisions they make on this issue. For years, the committee has endorsed the longstanding congressional policy that decisions involving the choice between public and private transit operators should be left to local authorities who are better equipped to make local transportation decisions. The Federal government is clearly best suited to making broad public policy decisions rather than micromanaging the local transit choices selected to meet the needs of rural, urban, and suburban communities. Does the chairman agree?”