Happening Now
Statement on Senate Passage of Infrastructure Bill
August 10, 2021
For Immediate Release (21-14)
Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail (202) 320-2723; [email protected]
BIPARTISAN BILL, WHILE WELCOME, FALLS SHORT
Washington, D.C. -- Rail Passengers Statement on the U.S. Senate passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“We applaud the Senate and the Biden Administration for their work in advancing this historic investment in passenger rail included in this bill, which will allow Amtrak and states to modernize our country’s aging passenger rail network, including buying new railcars and locomotives, upgrading stations and increasing reliability” said Jim Mathews, President and CEO of Rail Passengers Association. “It is absolutely imperative that this investment results in increased service and an expanded passenger rail network, and we look forward to working with Congress, the White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure that more Americans are able to choose passenger trains as a result of this historic investment.”
To read a full breakdown of how the $66 billion will be spent, please read the Rail Passengers' full analysis.
About Rail Passengers Association
The Rail Passengers Association is the oldest and largest national organization serving as a voice for the more than 40 million rail passengers in the U.S. Our mission is to improve and expand conventional intercity and regional passenger train services, support higher speed rail initiatives, increase connectivity among all forms of transportation and ensure safety for our country's trains and passengers. All of this makes communities safer, more accessible, and more productive, improving the lives of everyone who lives, works and plays in towns all across America.
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"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.
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