[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7078]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARPER (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Tester, Mr. 
        Heinrich, and Ms. Warren):
  S. 4914. A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to establish a 
grant program for transportation projects to improve Tribal health, 
well-being, and youth safety, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Indian Affairs.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I today I am introducing legislation that 
aims to reduce traffic-related pedestrian fatalities in Native American 
communities while also improving public health and quality of life.
  First, let's be clear. Everyone in this country deserves reliable 
options to travel safely from one place to another. Everyone deserves 
roads that connect us to each other and expand our horizons. But the 
sad truth is that not everyone in this country has safe, reliable roads 
that foster connections and expand horizons. That is especially true in 
Native American communities.
  The adverse statistics surrounding the safety and health of 
Indigenous peoples are staggering. Vehicle-related unintentional injury 
is the No. 1 cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives 
aged 1 through 44. It is also the third overall cause of death for all 
American Indians and Alaska Natives, of any age or gender.
  While unsafe roadways put lives at risk, inadequate or unreliable 
transportation options create obstacles for everyday life, making it 
more difficult to simply access healthy groceries, schools, quality 
health care, emergency services and economic opportunities. Immobility 
for individuals within Indian Country reinforces barriers to education, 
quality healthcare, and economic opportunity.
  Meanwhile, Native American communities face disproportionately higher 
prevalence of diabetes and other heart disease. In fact, American 
Indian and Alaska Natives are more than twice more likely than non-
Hispanic White Americans to die from diabetes. Cardiovascular disease 
is the primary cause of mortalities for Native Americans under the age 
of 65. While exercise can help to lower the risks associated with 
chronic heart disease, throughout Indian Country, there are few safe 
options for walking, running and bicycling.
  The sad truth is that decades of Federal underinvestment in 
transportation infrastructure has contributed to disproportionately 
higher rates of road traffic fatalities and poor public health outcomes 
in Indian Country. Unsafe, unreliable and inadequate transportation 
infrastructure is exacerbating a public safety crisis, worsening public 
health, and degrading quality of life.
  Investments in infrastructure that improve safety and expand 
opportunity for nonmotorized forms of transportation--such as 
sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and pedestrian and bicycle signals--
can help to prevent more road traffic fatalities and also combat the 
prevalence of chronic health disparities that exist throughout Native 
American communities. To that end, the Promoting Access to Tribal 
Health, Wellbeing and Youth Safety Act would create a new grant program 
at the U.S. Department of Transportation to dedicate new resources for 
pedestrian-related infrastructure and improve pedestrian infrastructure 
throughout Indian Country. The legislation will also authorize $25 
million annually for these critical projects.
  By improving pedestrian infrastructure across Tribal communities, we 
can save lives while improving health outcomes and quality of life in 
Tribal communities.
  I would like to thank my colleagues, Senator Feinstein, Senator 
Tester, Senator Heinrich, and Senator Warren, for joining me to 
introduce this legislation. As we celebrate National Native American 
Heritage Month, I look forward to working with my colleagues on this 
issue. Together we can improve the safety and health of Indigenous 
peoples across the Nation.
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