Randall, Gov Ferguson Call to Boost Funding for WA State Ferries

SEATTLE, WA — Today, U.S. Congresswoman Emily Randall (D, WA-06), co-chair and founder of the Congressional Ferry Caucus, hosted a press conference alongside Governor Bob Ferguson, local partners, labor groups, and ferry commuters to call for more federal investments for Washington State Ferries. In March, Rep. Randall, introduced the bipartisan FERRIES Act to significantly boost federal investments in ferry systems across the country – a full funding breakdown is available below. 

“I knew when I got elected to Congress that it was so important to my work, to my constituents, and to the State of Washington to fight for more ferry funding and to look for more ferry allies in this work,” said Rep. Randall. “That's why I'm really proud to have co-founded the Congressional Bipartisan Ferry Caucus…and together, we have introduced the Bipartisan FERRIES Act, which calls for record setting investments in ferries, expansion of grant opportunities and funding so that Washington State Ferries can benefit, systems like Kitsap Transit passenger only ferries can benefit – Alaska, and New York, and California, and ferry systems across the country – of which there are more than I ever knew – can benefit.” 

*A full video of the press conference is available HERE, and full transcript HERE.*

“Just to give you a sense of what we've made progress on in the last year, we've returned to full domestic service for the first time since 2019, but there's a caveat there, and I emphasize this, that progress is fragile -- primarily because our fleet is aging, our system is aging, and so while we've made significant improvements on cutting down canceled routes, further investment from the federal government would be a true lifeline for us to continue the momentum that we've started,” said Governor Ferguson. 

The bipartisan FERRIES Act is extremely timely as ferry routes that serve communities across Washington’s 6th district face significant service disruptions and funding gaps. The U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is slated to mark up the surface transportation reauthorization bill in the coming weeks, and the amount of funding for ferry systems that would be included in that bill is currently being negotiated. The most recent surface transportation reauthorization bill – President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – expires on September 30, 2026.

The bipartisan FERRIES Act would:

1. Increase funding for the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant Program to up to $550 million annually. Over the next five years, the bill would authorize $300 million, including $100 million directly from the HTF, and would provide $200 million in advanced appropriations each year.
2. Boost funding for the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Ferry Boat Program through the HTF to $160 million annually with a $2 million annual increase for each subsequent year, in addition to $100 million per year through advanced appropriations.
3. Expand funding for the FTA Rural Ferry Grant Program to up to $550 million per year, with $300 million authorized (including $100 million directly from the HTF) and $250 million in advanced appropriations.
4. Establish the Ferry Fleet Modernization and Shipyard Job Creation Grant Program to increase funding available for operators who want to electrify and modernize their fleets by switching to alternative fuels, thereby investing in shipyards and their workforces across the country who are building a new generation of vessels.
   1. The bill provides $100 million in advanced appropriations and $140 million in authorized funding annually. 
5. The FERRIES Act would clarify that ferry operators serving both urban and rural communities are eligible for both the FTA Passenger Ferry Grant program and the FTA Ferry Service for Rural Communities program, and create a set-aside for 20 percent of the Rural Ferry Grant Program funds to be available to routes serving any two rural areas, regardless of the distance between those two areas.
   1. These changes would open up additional funding sources for ferry operators like Washington State Ferries, who have previously had challenges accessing funding from both of these programs.

More information on Randall’s FERRIES Act is available HERE. For more information on the Congressional Ferry Caucus, go HERE.  

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