A View from the Hill
COMTO’s A View from The Hill is a series of legislative advocacy that occurs every September on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, bringing together legislative and industry experts to discuss relevant issues facing the transportation industry.
The program begins with a legislative panel discussion and concludes with COMTO members making visits to their respective Congressional officials and representatives. These Congressional meetings serve to share COMTO’s message, legislative agenda, and views on the rehabilitation and revitalization of America’s transportation infrastructure.
Click here to register for the 2026 A View from The Hill event!
Thank you to our Industry Partners for making events like this possible.
To view the 2026 Congressional Calendar, click here. To view COMTO's 2026 Legislative Agenda, click here.
A View from The Hill 2026
Bi-Partisan Cooperation and a Path Forward for Small Businesses in COMTO’s First Fully Virtual A View from The Hill
Arlington, VA – COMTO's first A View from The Hill legislative advocacy webinar saw record participation from Capitol Hill. In live and recorded remarks, eight Congressional offices were represented, updating COMTO members on such critical issues like the status of small business contracts following the DBE IFR and the Surface Transportation Reauthorization.
"As I begin my term as chair of the COMTO Board of Directors, my vision is focused on strengthening the organization’s reach, relevance, and value across the transportation industry and in the halls of Congress," said COMTO Board Chair Dr. Lester Woods, Jr.
"This is indeed a critical time for our nation's infrastructure, and your expertise is needed now more than ever as we share our knowledge and expertise, in real time, with elected decision makers," COMTO President & CEO April Rai added.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently passed the bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act. The President temporarily extended the IIJA (which was set to expire September 30, 2026) by signing a stop gap funding bill to prevent a government shut down. But the Continuing Resolution is only good until December 11th. Still, House Speaker Mike Johnson has reportedly said passing the Reauthorization before the year is out will be a priority.
"What is really needed, however, is for Congress to pass permanent legislation that prioritizes polices that strengthen workforce pipelines, expand opportunities for small businesses, accelerate project delivery, and support innovative mobility solutions," said COMTO Board Member and Legislative Advocacy Council Chair Debra Johnson.
"I'm confident that it will get done because this is a universal issue. This isn't a contentious issue," T& I Committee Member and CBC Transportation Braintrust Chair Rep. Andre Carson told COMTO members. "I think Republicans and Democrats are in sync in terms of what it looks like. I think the deadline may shift, but regardless of where you're from in the country, if you come from a rural center or an urban center, transportation is universal."
However, Congressman Carson encouraged COMTO members to advocate for adequate funding to keep the programs going. Currently, the CR contains cuts to public transit and passenger rail. The bill does not include advance appropriations; a form of guaranteed funding provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
(D) Senator Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and the ranking member of the Senate Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee delivered recorded remarks thanking COMTO for its 55 years legacy of advocacy and pledged her partnership in creating a strong transportation ecosystem.
"As we look toward the future, we also have to invest in our transportation workforce, creating strong pipelines into good paying careers and making sure the next generation has the skills and opportunities to build the infrastructure our country needs," said Sen. Alsobrooks, "Transportation connects people to jobs, education, healthcare, and one another as we work on surface transportation reauthorization, I'll keep fighting to make sure those connections and the economic opportunities that come with them reach every community."
COMTO Chapters who sponsored our event through the Chapter Leadership Collective shared details of their local advocacy efforts as they introduced the remaining 5 recorded Congressional videos, including remarks from Republican Rep. Gus Bilkaris of Florida.
"Washington should be a partner, not a roadblock. Local officials are in the best position to determine which projects will have the greatest impact for their residents," Rep. Bilrakis explained, "We must emphasize transparency, accountability, and project delivery reforms that reduce unnecessary delays. It's important for members to hear directly from you about the projects that matter most. Your input will help shape our work in Congress. Thank you again for your leadership, your partnership, and your commitment to making our transportation system safer, stronger, and better prepared for the future."
Tyler Hofmann-Reardon, legislative aide to (D)Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia joined the webinar and spoke about the Senator's efforts to address the DBE IFR. Prior to the virtual convening, members received advocacy packets which included a Caucus letter sent to USDOT Secretary Duffy detailing the value of the DBE program and the impact and losses felt following the IFR. Sec. Duffy's response letter was also included.
" I know it's been a tough couple of years with a lot of litigation and uncertainty, but I just continue to be impressed by the resilience of this community and the way that you all have not backed down from, an unfortunate challenge here," Hofmann-Reardon told COMTO members, " Secretary Duffy recently released a list of transportation programs that should not be reauthorized. And DBE was not on that list. That doesn't mean we could take our foot off the gas, but all of this together is a little bit of encouragement at a time when I think we all kind of need that."
Hofmann-Reardon encouraged small businesses to submit their personal stories to Sen. Warnock's office as they gather more information to continue negotiations.
The webinar concluded with a letter writing workshop and a call to action.
"Let’s take our advocacy beyond this space," Deputy CEO Tyra Redus encouraged participants. "Each of you should have received an email prior to this webinar that contained a drop box link with our 2026 Advocacy Packet. Inside, there's a template advocacy letter. We ask that you personalize it and email that letter plus COMTO's 2026 Legislative Priorities to lawmakers by October 1st."
We'd like to thank the following sponsors of our 2026 A View from The Hill webinar:
Premier Sponsor - WSP
Friends of COMTO Sponsor - GFT
Small Business Sponsors – Ardmore Roderick and STV
Chapter Leadership Collective – COMTO Atlanta, COMTO Cleveland, COMTO DC, COMTO North Texas, COMTO North Carolina, COMTO Houston, and COMTO Jacksonville.
A View from The Hill 2025
Advocacy in Action for COMTO’s First Hybrid A View from The Hill
Washington, DC - An inspiring day of advocacy on Capitol Hill brought members of COMTO and Congress together for our first-ever hybrid A View from The Hill. Nearly 100 members gathered inside the Rayburn House Office Building and via live webinar for our 2025 legislative briefing.
“Come and occupy the space,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) Michigan told attendees, “That's what our residents and our families and the people we fight for in our communities that we live in, need us to do. This is incredibly important, more than ever, transformative change doesn't happen from the White House, nor does it happen from Congress. It's when the outside makes them move.”
Indeed, the day focused on our call to action: connecting COMTO’s network of transportation professionals to lawmakers poised to decide on such critical issues as the Surface Transportation Reauthorization. The 2021 Reauthorization, which was included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), expires September 30, 2026.
Rep. Shomari Figures (D) Alabama told the group the bill is currently in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in which he serves as a member. Rep. Figures said the bill has bipartisan support and is expected to move through the committee by December.
“One of the reasons I wanted to be on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was making sure that those dollars don't just continue to flow through the places and the cities that always get those dollars,” the Congressman shared, “they need to get to, and who historically have not been getting them, a lot of underserved communities, a lot of rural communities, and I'm talking black and white communities.”
Rep. Figures then fielded questions from the audience about getting funds to shovel-ready projects, challenges in aviation, and his legislative priorities.
“I don't have the best answers for what the future of the industry looks like. You guys do,” Rep. Figures said, “You guys can help us and work with us to form those answers and form those solutions, so I really like hearing from you guys.”
“That’s what I love about the work that you all do,” added Rep. Tlaib, “because I think you have lived experiences that are so valuable.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) Maryland and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D) California provided recorded remarks.
“We're a group of transportation professionals that are ready and willing to provide expertise and support as elected officials make critical decisions in transportation. It affects all our communities - 41 chapters across North America,” said COMTO President & CEO April Rai.
To that end, advocacy letters were then signed by each in-person attendee. Virtual guests were emailed a copy of the letter to send to their Congressperson. Members then delivered the letters and our 2025 legislative priorities to lawmakers, offering COMTO’s network of professionals as industry experts to advise and support on critical infrastructure and transportation issues. COMTO stands ready to assist.
WSP was a proud sponsor of COMTO’s 2025 A View from The Hill.
“WSP is a leading global professional services firm that leverages engineering, advisory, and our sciences to really shape communities and uplift communities, but also advance humanity overall,” said WSP USA Senior Vice President Wes Mitchell, “Creating a vibrant transportation network that allows safe, efficient movement of people and goods is fundamental to economic vitality.”
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A View from The Hill 2024
“COMTO, we need you now more than ever,” said Acting Under Secretary of Transportation Chistopher Coes. That was our call to action during the transportation briefing at the White House.
COMTO Headquarters had the honor of hosting nearly one hundred members, from across North America, for an engaging tour and exclusive briefing at the White House Wednesday for our annual A View from The Hill legislative event.
The rain did not dampen our spirits as we soaked in all the splendors and history of the White House during an exclusive tour. Members then walked the halls of power at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to participate in a high-level briefing with our federal partners.
Administration representatives engaged with COMTO members on Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) implementation, legal challenges impacting the DBE program, and strategies to strengthen the association’s outreach and influence.
The briefing aligned with COMTO’s 2024 Legislative Agenda, highlighting the successes and continued work needed to ensure initiatives like the DBE program, Justice40 and IIJA fulfill their promises to historically underserved communities.
“This is more money than the Roosevelt and Eisenhower administrations combined,” said Andrea O’Neal, Special Assistant to the President for Racial and Economic Justice, “Let’s keep up the fight because they don’t take any days off which means we can’t either.”
The Presidential Personnel Office coordinated Wednesday’s White House briefing. COMTO is a close partner to PPO, helping advance the Administration’s mission of recruiting and retaining diverse talent and building an Administration that looks like America. COMTO has recommended dozens of candidates for positions across the Administration, many who are currently serving as Presidential appointees.
A View from The Hill 2023
In 2023, A View from The Hill took members to The White House! COMTO members enjoyed participating in an exclusive tour of The White House, a private discussion with Ryan Berni, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Infrastructure Implementation and a briefing from the Presidential Personnel Office. Special Assistant and Senior Advisor Berni discussed the Administration’s strategies for leveraging IIJA and associated programs to reimagine infrastructure in America and ensure equity and sustainability are the guideposts. Members were excited to hear about the current and future infrastructure projects and the various initiatives to build an equitable workforce for all.
COMTO appreciates everyone who attended and contributed to making last year’s A View From the Hill activities impactful and change-making!
CBC Transportation Braintrust
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Transportation Braintrust was conceived over 27 years ago to provide a forum during the CBCF Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) for the top-level exchange of information and ideas between key leaders and experts in the transportation industry. The program has grown over the years thanks to the sponsorship of the late U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and continues under the sponsorship of today’s CBCF leaders.
The Braintrust brings together the best minds and brightest thinkers in the field to discuss issues of particular relevance to disadvantaged peoples in transportation, including economic development, community participation, public safety, universal access and business opportunity. These experts come together annually and represent both a consolidation of the public and private sectors and a collaboration of diverse disciplines in the transportation industry.
The free flow of thought-provoking questions and subsequent discussion of the issues in a public setting can lead to an ongoing dialogue among all stakeholders. This significantly assists the COMTO leadership in its efforts to both develop a consensual agenda and devise a strategic plan for its Chapters and membership.
CBC Braintrust 2026
Connecting Communities to Opportunities at CBC Transportation Braintrust
Washington, DC – One day after COMTO’s A View from The Hill, President & CEO April Rai and Board Chair Dr. Lester Woods joined (D) Rep. Andre Carson for the Congressional Black Caucus Transportation Braintrust centered around the theme, Connecting Communities to Opportunities.
COMTO co-founded the CBC Transportation Braintrust with the late (D) Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland to ensure community voices are included in transportation policy. Congressman Cummings’ legacy was alive in the Washington Convention Center Ballroom C during a robust and engaging panel on community access and the future of transportation.
“We have to get young people more excited and interested in the transportation industry,” said COMTO Board Chair Dr. Lester Woods, Jr, “and I'm proud to say COMTO has an amazing internship program. We’re preparing engineers, we’re preparing administrators, attorneys, accountants, and human resources professionals. So, we have to beat the street and get our young people excited about, watch this, not just jobs but careers.”
Actress and talk show host Claudia Jordan moderated the panel featuring Congressman Carson, COMTO Chair Dr. Woods, Christopher Coes, CEO of America FWD, Veronica Davis, CEO of Northway Strategies and author of Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities, Terry Travis, Co-Founder of EV Noire, and Joell Gamble Copeland, Chief Economist of General Motors.
“We need something new,” said Chris Coes of America FWD, “what we’re seeing now is a Windows 95 transportation system upgrading to an iPhone.”
Coes urged the audience to be active participants in transportation policy. Though he said the Reconnecting Communities program was not kept in BUILD America 250 proposal passed by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, progress is still being made. For instance, the USDOT Thriving Communities Program which COMTO serves as a capacity builder, is successfully approaching its third year and is continuing to advance transportation projects of 16 communities around the country.
The CBC Transportation Braintrust was cosponsored by GM and CSX.
CBC Braintrust 2025
Small Businesses: Tools to Adapt and Pivot
Washington, DC – After a successful 2025 View from The Hill, COMTO continued its support of the CBC Transportation Braintrust. This year’s panel discussion focused on small business support and offered advice on ways to thrive in a changing landscape.
Shannetta Griffin Executive Director & CEO of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Maryland Aviation Administration compares this season to COVID urging small businesses to adapt. She emphasizes collaboration is one key to success.
“Don’t recreate the wheel,” urged Griffin, “learn from each other.”
“Don’t give up. These certification programs were never supposed to be the golden ticket,” Tyra Redus former Director of the USDOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization reminded the crowd.
Redus said there are still opportunities available for small businesses despite changes to the federal DBE program. She encouraged owners to search for jobs in the Small Business Administration's Subcontractors’ Directory.
“Small business must be everyone’s focus,” said Phil Washington, CEO of Denver International Airport, “ninety-eight percent of businesses in the U.S. are small business.”
“Airports are economic engines,” said Griffin, “Aviation is a trillion-dollar business and has a $1.6 Billion economic impact in Maryland and creates 110,000 jobs.”
“I can’t think of anything more American than entrepreneurship,” said COMTO President & CEO April Rai who expertly moderated the panel.
“It’s about making the business case for small businesses,” said Rai, “Small businesses are nimble and they’re the best at what they do in many cases. So, it’s important for us to focus on that.”
CBC Chair Rep. Andre Carson offered remarks and discussed his recently introduced bill on workforce development in aviation. The proposed bipartisan legislation would create a center to help the aviation and aerospace industries.
Rai concluded the panel discussion by asking each panelist to offer advice to small business owners at this time.
“Flexibility, adaptability, and follow the money,” said Griffin.
Washington added, “We must be bold, lead, implement and be innovative.”
“Focus on a measurable, data-informed strategy,” said Redus, “results, relationships, and re-evaluate your work portfolio.”
“If there ever was a time to join COMTO, now is it,” said Michael Garner as he urged the audience to join,” the contribution to small businesses and contracting opportunities are endless.”