Duckworth Meets with FTA Administrator Nominee Nuria Fernandez, Discusses Bill to Help Ensure Accessibility on Public Transit

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), today met virtually with Nuria Fernandez, President Biden’s nominee for Federal Transit Administrator and discussed Duckworth’s newly-introduced All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act, legislation that would help accelerate initiatives to make public transportation systems accessible to passengers with disabilities. The two also discussed President Biden’s American Jobs Plan which, if passed, would allocate $110 billion to transit infrastructure, including funding for upgrades to existing stations to meet accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Fernandez currently serves as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.

“To truly ‘Build Back Better,’ it’s imperative that the Federal Government prioritizes transit and commuter rail accessibility so that every American can use our nation’s public transportation systems,” Duckworth said. “I was glad to secure Deputy Administrator Nuria Fernandez’s commitment to work with me to improve public transportation accessibility and create good-paying jobs in the process. I look forward to working with Ms. Fernandez to enhance our country’s infrastructure.”

Fernandez earned two degrees in Illinois, one from Bradley University in Peoria and another from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She also served as Senior Vice President of Design and Construction for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and as Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation.

In March, Senator Duckworth virtually met with Polly Trottenberg, then-Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) nominee, to discuss Amtrak accessibility and on-time performance and the American Jobs Plan, as well as Duckworth’s TIFIA for Airports Act.

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