Norton Offers Bill to Extend Mass Transit Commuter Benefits for an Additional Year

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Highways and Transit Subcommittee, today introduced a bill to extend federal tax benefits for mass transit commutes, and to encourage commuters to use mass transit by equalizing tax benefits for mass transit and parking. As part of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations earlier this year, Congress increased the commuter benefit amount to $245, but this amount will decrease on December 31, 2013. Unless Congress takes action now, mass transit benefits will decrease by nearly 50%, to $130, while the benefit for parking will increase to roughly $250. Under the bill, federal tax benefits for mass transit and parking will be approximately $250 in 2014.

"Millions of people commute in and out of cities every day, bolstering their economies and improving the overall wellbeing of the country, with this region as a prime example," said Norton. "Why would we want to encourage people to drive rather than use mass transit? At the very least, there is no excuse for preferential treatment of driving."

Norton supports a permanent equalization of commuter benefits, but given the costs associated with a permanent extension, the focus right now is on a temporary one-year extension of benefits. With the House going out of session on Friday, Norton is urgently calling on the House and Senate to pass this legislation before Congress leaves. If the bill is not passed, she will seek retroactive equalization of benefits when Congress returns in January.

Published: December 12, 2013