Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a memo told the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prioritize communities that have higher birth and marriage rates.
“To the maximum extent permitted by law, DOT-supported or -assisted programs and activities, including without limitation, all DOT grants, loans, contracts, and DOT-supported or -assisted State contracts, shall prioritize projects and goals that … mitigate the unique impacts of DOT programs, policies, and activities on families and family-specific difficulties, such as the accessibility of transportation to families with young children, and give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average,” reads the undated memo, which says it is effective immediately.
The memo could impact, among many other programs, the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant, meaning investments in public transportation including commuter rail, light rail and bus transit.
According to data released last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. birth rate had hit a new low after declining for the last 17 years.
Duffy, a father to nine children, is one of just a few of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees to already be confirmed by the Senate.
He released a series of orders last week aimed at getting DOT in line with the Trump White House’s priorities.
“The American people deserve an efficient, safe, and pro-growth transportation system based on sound decision-making, not political ideologies. These actions will help us deliver on that promise,” Duffy said.
He’s also moved to enact Trump’s cutbacks on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in hiring at the department.
The Hill has reached out to DOT for comment.
