Congressman Joe Neguse has had his fair share of success while serving Colorado’s 2nd congressional district since 2019. He is the first Eritrean-American congressman in American history. And since his arrival in office, he’s been gaining attention from Congress, while gaining popularity in his district. His latest feat: garnering $917 million in funding over the next five years for Colorado’s public transit systems under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, of which $54 million was received in February.
The American Society of Civil Engineers grades states on their infrastructure. And Colorado received an unsatisfactory C minus, citing several flaws in its transportation infrastructure. Neguse was determined in raising this grade and worked with local officials to address the issue.
“My support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was built out of conversations with mayors and county commissioners across our state whose local infrastructure was underserved by the federal government for decades,” Neguse said. And by the end of those conversations, Colorado’s transit system gets funding first to improve its transit infrastructure.
The National Express Transit lists a number of reasons as to why public transit is essential. Among the reasons are the reduction of air pollution and traffic congestion, reasons that Neguse has pushed for.
“Expanding access to public transit is a top priority for many communities I represent, and they want to see Congress prioritize climate resiliency through our infrastructure,” said Neguse. “These federal dollars represent the first step toward making those critical investments a reality.”
The transit funding will go toward funding new buses, rail cars, and track station repairs. It will improve reliability by rehabilitating trains, buses, tracks, power systems, and transit stations. It will support transit for seniors and persons with disabilities by funding wheelchair lifts and accessible transit vehicles.
As Neguse has been at the forefront of improving his state’s transportation issues, he’s garnered attention from key players in Washington. In 2019, he was elected to serve in House leadership as the Co-Freshman Representative. In 2020, he was elected to serve as a co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. In 2021, Nancy Pelosi appointed him as the House impeachment manager for Trump’s second impeachment trial – a trial in which Neguse gave a very passionate speech about American values and the vitality of bipartisanship.
In his fourth year in office, he’s made quite a name for himself. And at only 37, he may be working with a lot of room to grow in his auspicious political career.