ATSSA presents Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart with Roadway Safety Champion Award

Balart recognized during association’s annual Legislative Briefing & Fly-In

ATSSA presented Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) with the annual Roadway Safety Champion Award for advocating for policies that advance roadway safety.

The congressman received the award yesterday during ATSSA’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-in in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of ATSSA members from across the country were on-site at Capitol Hill, meeting with federal legislators to discuss the importance of roadway safety infrastructure in eliminating injuries and fatalities on our nation’s roadways.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who is currently in his ninth term serving Florida’s 25^th congressional district, is not only a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations but also serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), in addition to serving on the House Committee on the Budget.

In 2002, Diaz-Balart was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to serving in Congress, he served in the both the House and Senate of the Florida state legislature for 14 years. There, he served as chair for several committees, including the Tax, Combined Appropriations/Ways, and Means/Finance committees.

“I am humbled and grateful to be the recipient of the 2019 Roadway Safety Champion Award. As Ranking Member, and the former Chairman, of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) subcommittee, I have worked to allocate millions of federal dollars for roadway safety and infrastructure. Just this year, I helped secure $190 million for The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which was almost $40 million above the request level. An additional $14 million was included specifically for highway safety programs within our communities. With the ongoing advocacy and support of organizations such as the American Traffic Safety Services Association, we can ensure our nations roadways remain at the forefront of safety innovation,” said Balart.

ATSSA’s Vice President of Government Relations Nate Smith said the association is honored to recognize leaders in Congress who are committed to roadway safety.

“Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart’s leadership in championing roadway safety infrastructure policies and investments is critical to achieving ATSSA’s goal of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on roadways across the United States,” said Smith. “His participation on the THUD Subcommittee has clearly demonstrated his dedication to roadway safety. We look forward to continuing to work with the congressman in the years to come to ensure our roads are safe and that the men, women and children who leave their homes each day arrive home alive.”

For more information about ATSSA’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In, visit flyin.atssa.com.

ATSSA's Chair Juan Arvizu, vice president of government relations Nate Smith, and several association board members presented the award to Diaz-Balart's staff during the Legislative Briefing & Fly-In.