Date: 2005-06-29
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. a recent poll showed that 81 percent of the American people said that this Congress does not stand with them on their priorities. There is no better example than what we are discussing here today. I fully support the amendment. but if the amendment is not adopted. I want Members to be clear that this will be the end of Amtrak. Today is a day where we are. going to fish or cut bait. This is your opportunity to stand up for the people that sent you here. . Why is it that we constantly.. in the House. hope the other body will rescue us? The current funding issue concerning Amtrak brings up a fundmental question of where this Nation stands on public transportation. We have an opportunity to improve a system that serves the needs for passenger rail service. or we can just let it fall apart and leave this countrys travelers and business with absolutely no alternative forms of public transportation. Without the funding Amtrak needs to keep operating. we will soon see people that rely on Amtrak to get them to work each day waiting for a train that is not coming. We continue to subsidize highways and aviation. and by the way. one of the strongest vocal persons are Members against Amtrak. We have given aviation over $20 billion. We give Iraq $1 billion a week. That is $4 billion a month. But we refuse to give Amtrak what is needed for 1 week. One week that we spend in Iraq will fund the entire Amtrak system for the entire country for an entire year. This is the day. You either fish or cut bait on Amtrak today. and the American people are watching you. Mr. Chairman. I rise in full support of this amendment.The current funding issues concerning Amtrak brings up a fundamental question of where this Nation stands on public transportation. We have an opportunity to improve a system that serves our need for pas senger rail service. or we can let it fall apart. and leave this countrys travelers and businesses with absolutely no alternative form of public transportation. Without the funding Amtrak needs to keep operating. we will soon see people that rely on Amtrak to get them to work each day. waiting for a train that isnt coming. We continue to subsidize highways and aviation. but when it comes to our passenger rail system. we refuse to provide the money Amtrak needs to survive. This issue is so much bigger than just transportation. This is about safety and national security. Not only should we be giving Amtrak the money it needs to continue providing servw ice. we should be providing security money to upgrade their tracks and improve safety and security measures in the entire rail system. Once again we see the Bush administration paying for its failed policies by cutting funds to vital public services and jeopardizing more American jobs. This administration sees nothing wrong with taking money from the hard working Amtrak employees who work day and night to provide top quality service to their passengers. These folks are trying to make a living for their families. and they dont deserve this shabby treatment from the President. Were spending 1 billion dollars a week in Iraq. $4 billion a month. but this administration zeroed out funding for Amtrak.. Just one weeks investment in Iraq would significantly improve passenger rail for the entire country for an entire year. Its time for Congress to step up to the plate and make a decision about Amtrak based on whatsbest for the traveling public. not for the bean counters at OMB. Some people think that the solution to the problem is to privatize the system. If we privatize. we will see the same thing we saw when we deregulated the airline industry. Only the lucrative routes would be maintained. and routes to Rural locations will be expensive and few. I was in New York shortly after September 11th when the plane leaving JFK airport crashed into the Bronx. I. along with many of my colleagues in both the House and Senate took Amtrak back to Washington. I realized once again just how important Amtrak is to the American people. and how important it is for this Nation to have alternative modes of transportation. This isnt about fiscal policy. this is about providing a safe and reliable public transportation system that the citizens of this Nation need and deserve. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.