Congresswoman Doris Matsui Welcomes California Teens to Washington, D.C.

Today, Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-05) welcomed eleven California students to her office in Washington, D.C. The civic-minded high school students were chosen to participate in a Teening Up for a Greener World Summit sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association. They are spending three days in Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers and learn about public transportation.

Congresswoman Doris Matsui Welcomes California Teens to Washington, D.C.

Commends Their Commitment to Green Transportation

andquot;This year, we have seen a substantial increase in the use of public transportation both in my hometown of Sacramento and across the country. As lawmakers, we know that we must continue to increase access to mass transit. It is heartening to know that the youth of our country are already looking to the future of green transportation,andquot; said Rep. Matsui.

The summit will focus on the environmental benefits of public transportation, as well as on how communities prosper with increased public transit services. The all-expense-paid Summit will give participants the opportunity to spend three days in the nation's capital, meeting with lawmakers and leaders and learning first-hand the ways public transportation can shape the future.

The students are participating in a series of educational sessions that examine public transportation and the environment. The forums will focus on where the industry stands now and where it is heading in the future.

Fifty students were selected from more than 170 applicants, representing 22 different states. Eleven of the 50 awardees are from California. Faith Bernstein of McClatchy High School in Sacramento is one of the participants. After the Summit concludes, she will return to Sacramento and begin a two-month paid internship at Siemens Transportation Systems. Throughout the course of her internship, Ms. Bernstein will see firsthand how light rail cars are built and learn about new andquot;green mobilityandquot; innovations.

In her application essay, Ms. Bernstein expressed interest in the development of a system of public transportation that has zero carbon emissions, light rail travel, and capitalizing on innovative ways to make public transportation more appealing to teens. She stated her belief that andquot;the most important issue that we are facing today is global warming.andquot;

andquot;Investing now in environmentally-savvy transportation methods will be a key part of a cleaner, more sustainable future for Sacramento and the United States. With bright and dedicated students like Ms. Bernstein, and all of those who attended the Summit this week, I have confidence that the steps we take now will be capitalized on for years to come,andquot; said Rep. Doris Matsui.

# # #