State legislators praise federal funding, vow continued investment in transit

State legislative leaders and local representatives used the ceremony to highlight the role of federal–state partnership and prior legislative investments in advancing MBTA projects.

House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michalowicz thanked federal partners and praised the scale of the investment; he and other legislators said the state has increased transportation funding in recent budgets. State Senator Lydia Edwards (3rd Suffolk) said her district is a transit hub and emphasized fairness, affordability and green infrastructure in the administration's approach: "We will make public transportation more affordable. We will make sure that it is more green, and we will make sure that it's more accessible."

Legislators also pointed to past votes that enabled PLAs and said they will continue to pursue projects that pair federal funds with state budgeting to modernize transit.