Dupage Policy Journal

With the help of U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Dist. 3) and a bipartisan team of legislators, the long-term federal road and transportation funding bill, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, recently became law.

Lipinski helped move the legislation through the House-Senate conference-committee stage and to the president's desk.

As the only House Transportation Committee member from Illinois appointed to the team tasked with resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation, Lipinski worked to ensure the final draft provided increased funding for local road and transit projects, while also addressing many regional transportation priorities that will ease congestion and increase safety for drivers. Once those differences were resolved, the legislation was on a fast track to final approval.

“The fact that we were able to reach agreement on a road and transit funding bill is great news for the nation, especially people that live and work in northeastern Illinois,” Lipinski said. “I fought hard in the Transportation Committee, on the House floor and in the conference negotiations, and was able to make this bill better at each step.”

Lipinski said that when the bill passes, Illinois should receive up to $7.5 billion over the next five years for projects to ease congestion on roads and highways – specifically those relating to the area’s position as one of America’s main hubs for freight transportation.

Lipinski also was able to negotiate the inclusion of several provisions in the bill that will tighten safety regulations for rail cars carrying oil and other flammable or otherwise hazardous materials, support the implementation of zero-emission mass-transit buses and boost the U.S. manufacturing-job market by beefing up Buy American laws.