Gillibrand Statement On Release Of Second Avenue Subway Funding

Apr 16, 2026
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, released the following statement regarding the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) resuming reimbursements for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for construction of the Second Avenue Subway extension:
“Manhattan residents and commuters have waited long enough for the Second Avenue Subway extension, which will cut travel times, create new opportunities, and provide better connections, particularly in East and Central Harlem. I am pleased that USDOT has decided to follow the law and finally restart long-delayed reimbursements so that MTA can deliver the modern and accessible transit system that New Yorkers deserve.
“The Trump administration has used New Yorkers as political pawns by holding up federal dollars for important projects and harming the livelihoods of our union workers. I’ll keep fighting to protect New York from the Trump administration’s reckless attacks on our state.
“I am proud to have helped secure the funding that is making this critical expansion to the New York City subway system possible, and I’ll continue working to bring home more federal resources to improve public transportation for all New Yorkers.”
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