Document ppRKXZz2Owb1LMLEXpyJnNqNB

NICK LALOTA New Yore's FAST DISTINCT 122 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-3201 (2021225-3828 515 ROUTE 111, SUITE 3B HAUPPAUGE, NY 11788 18311 289-1097 Cone re55 of Mr Ulan *tatt5 ii.)ott5r of ikeprrstinatiOrs ilia5lilugton, DC 20315-3201 June 5, 2025 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SuBCOMMIT TEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT - VICE CHAIRMAN St/WOW/RIME ON MIUTARV CONSTRUCTON, VETERANS Alf MRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS SUR cOMIWIT TEL ON ECONOMIC GROWTH, TAX, AND CAPITAL ACCESS SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONTRACTING AND INFRASTRUCTURE - CHAIRMAN The Honorable Donald J. Trump President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 The Honorable Sean Duffy Secretary, Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear President Trump and Secretary Duffy, I commend your Administration's decision to responsibly initiate a formal review of funding delivered under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). As you assess projects or awards that may no longer meet standards of performance, cost-efficiency, or deliverability, I respectfully urge you to preserve funding that could be redirected to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), a system that is vital to the daily lives of my constituents and millions of Long Islanders. Long-term investments in the LIRR to advance projects, including the Port Jefferson Branch Electrification Initiative, are precisely the kind of targeted, high-impact infrastructure efforts that reflect your Administration's commitment to restoring trust in federal spending and delivering real results for the American people. The LIRR is one of the busiest commuter railroads in North America and a central artery of Long Island's workforce and commerce. The railroad is essential not just to regional mobility but to the daily function of the greater New York metropolitan area, where, in March 2025 alone, LIRR ridership grew by 10.4% compared to the same month in 2024 and achieved an astounding 96.2% on-time performance rate. As one of the nation's largest suburban economies, Long Island depends on reliable rail infrastructure to sustain job access, commuter flow, freight connectivity, and the economic integration of our local communities into the broader Northeast Corridor. Maintaining and enhancing this network is essential to meeting current demands and future growth and, therefore, must remain a federal priority. One particularly important project under consideration is the electrification of the LIRR's Port Jefferson Branch, which is currently operating on diesel power east of Huntington. This corridor serves tens of thousands of residents in Suffolk County and remains one of the few major lines in the system without electrification. The lack of electrification has long created operational inefficiencies, limited scheduling flexibility, and a disparity in service quality for riders east of Huntington. Electrification would not only reduce travel times and increase service frequency, but it would also eliminate the need for diesel locomotives and dual-mode engines, which are costly to maintain and operate. The benefits of electrification are both measurable and immediate, warranting proper investment. Mr. President and Secretary Duffy, your Administration has rightly prioritized restoring discipline and transparency to federal infrastructure spending. As you review allocations made under the IIJA, I respectfully urge you to preserve and, where appropriate, reallocate funding towards the Long Island Rail Road and its infrastructure projects, ready to deliver measurable results. Investments in the LIRR, including critical electrification and modernization initiatives, directly serve working families, advance national transportation objectives, and embody the type of high-impact, accountable infrastructure your Administration has committed to championing. Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to building a more connected, OST-2025-1200 Page 01947 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0027828 accountable, and resilient infrastructure system, and I look forward to continuing to work together in strong partnership to deliver real results for Long Island, the Northeast Corridor, and the American people. Sincerely, litik lc* Nick LaLota Member of Congress OST-2025-1200 Page 01948 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0027829