Our Coalition:

Our Members

Support the Richardson Amendments to H.R. 7: Equal Opportunity Assessment and Comptroller General Evaluation and Report

Advocacy Letter - 02/02/12

Source: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Recipient: U.S. House of Representatives

Dear Representative:

On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 210 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States, we urge you to vote in favor of two amendments expected to be offered by Representative Laura Richardson (D-CA) at the markup of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, H.R.7. First, the Equal Opportunity Assessment Amendment requires a quadrennial national report that would analyze data on demographics and compliance with existing civil rights laws, such as Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (which prohibits discrimination in federally-funded programs) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Second, the Comptroller General Evaluation and Report Amendment would assess the progress and effectiveness of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in assisting federal fund recipients’ compliance with nondiscrimination requirements. 

The Equal Opportunity Assessment Amendment would be a new tool that would assist federal, state, and local transportation officials in increasing transparency and accountability, and avoid lapses in civil rights safeguards.  The Equal Opportunity Assessment Amendment would also improve efficiency and predictability in compliance with existing civil rights laws, as it will help identify problems that agencies and recipients may take coordinated measures to address; and will ensure that governmental resources and guidance intended to target barriers to equal opportunity do so effectively. To date, there has been no comprehensive and nationwide data analysis on the way budget and project decisions impact specific communities. Communities of color, low-income people, and communities with disabilities are disproportionately affected by the decisions of both rural and urban transit agencies, given that they are the most transit dependent communities and negotiate their daily lives on mass transit.[1]

The Equal Opportunity Assessment Amendment would also promote interagency cooperation around the analysis of data on equal opportunity, by requiring that the Secretary of Transportation consult with the Secretary of Labor in assessing equity in employment and contracting opportunities related to federally-funded transportation programs.  The collected data would include an analysis of impediments to non-discrimination and recommendations for compliance. Currently, women and minorities are underrepresented in transportation construction employment.  Of the roughly eight million people employed in the transportation construction industry in 2008, African Americans comprised only 6 percent and women comprised less than 3 percent.[2] Latinos are disproportionately employed in lower-paying transportation sector jobs and are concentrated in fewer occupations.[3]

The Comptroller General’s Evaluation and Report Amendment would require the Comptroller General to issue a new report assessing the ability of the FTA to address discrimination complaints and foster equal opportunities in federally-funded transportation projects and provide recommendations for improvements. With public transportation ridership at record highs, many transit agencies facing fiscal crises have cut service, and raised fares.[4] It is critical to examine whether these decisions regarding basic transit service are made at the unlawful expense of the most underserved communities.  Effective and fair transportation projects, by providing access to employment, health care, and educational centers, are essential to the well-being of transit-dependent communities.

We urge you to vote for Representative Richardson’s amendments to H.R. 7.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact Lexer Quamie, Counsel at (202) 466-3648 or quamie@civilrights.org or Nancy Zirkin at (202) 466-3311 or zirkin@civilrights.org. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Wade Henderson
President & CEO

Nancy Zirkin
Executive Vice President

[1] Racial minorities are four times more likely than Whites to rely on public transportation for their work commute. Clara Reschovsky, “Journey to Work: 2000,” Census 2000 brief. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census, Bureau, 2004 at http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2bkr-33.pdf.

[2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Household Data Annual Averages, Table 11: Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin,” 2008.

[3] Singley, Catherine. National Council of La Raza – Steering Economic Recovery: Latinos in the Transportation Sector, http://www.nclr.org/index.php/publications/steering_economic_recovery_latinos_in_the_ transportation_sector/. April 1, 2011.

[4] 84 percent of public transit systems have raised fares, cut service or are considering either of those actions. American Public Transportation Association, “Impact of the Recession on Public Transportation Agencies,” March 2010.