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Otsego, MN - Yesterday, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) spoke in support of an amendment to help and sustain the motorcoach industry during a Financial Services Committee Markup on the Administration's proposed COVID-19 relief package.
"The motorcoach industry is a vital piece of our transportation landscape. As tourism, music, and commuting has slowed, the motorcoach industry has suffered deeply," said Emmer. "We must support the thousands of American workers in this industry and millions of Americans who will once again rely on this vital means of transportation."
In April of 2020, Congressman Emmer wrote to House and Senate Leadership urging action to include the U.S. motorcoach industry in COVID-19 relief negotiations. Congressman Emmer was also a cosponsor of the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Act, which was included in the end of year COVID-19 relief package, allocating $2 billion of the estimated $8 billion needed to stabilize the industry.
Prior to COVID-19, the motorcoach industry supported more than 600 million passenger trips each year. The industry has already seen 3,000 companies completely shut down, 36,000 vehicles parked, and most of their 88,000 employees laid off. Motorcoach companies play a vital role in transporting the public, providing transit to and from military deployments, supporting rural communities, and connecting workers to their jobs.
The motorcoach industry also serves in times of crisis. For example, they assist when weather-related events require immediate evacuation. Most recently, at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, motorcoaches assisted in the evacuation of cruise ship passengers. Motorcoaches are essential to serving our military, including in January when 500-1,000 motorcoaches brought National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to protect the Capitol.
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