Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Congresswoman Frankel

Congresswoman Lois Frankel welcomed GBTA’s Legislative Symposium attendees to Washington, D.C. saying, “there is nothing more important that having citizen lobbyists.” She said there are so many issues that come in front of Congress that they depend on folks like those in the room who have practical experience to share their ideas on what works and doesn’t work, because Congress is making policies that will impact people’s lives.

As someone who loves to travel and travels often for business, Frankel said she is on a plane or a train every single week. She has been to airports all over the world seeing the good, the bad and the ugly, and has rode on high speed trains in France and China along with slow trains here too.

Frankel said she was especially glad GBTA members came to D.C. to talk to her colleagues about the importance of a modern transportation infrastructure, improved rail and planes that arrive on time, along with the importance of programs like Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.

Transportation moves our economy and infrastructure investments have major economic benefits, she told attendees.

As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, she said the good news is the committee works really well together with a strong bipartisan approach. More good news for travel: the House recently passed the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act, which will put a lot of money back into Amtrak and will allow for critical improvements making the railways safer and more efficient.

Next up, she says, is finally reauthorizing the FAA bill.

“We cannot afford to wait,” Congresswoman Frankel said wrapping up, but not before giving attendees a mission for their day on the Hill: You know as well as anyone how important it is to have modern transportation infrastructure. It’s how you and almost every business in the country make a living. If we don’t have efficient transportation and modern infrastructure, we are going to lose out to competition and you need to deliver that message.