Investing in A New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2, the INVEST in America Act.
Through robust Federal recovery efforts, this legislation will create real jobs. It will empower communities across our country. America will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, bring our transit and highway systems into the 21st century, and advance historic investments in clean energy technologies toward a modern power future.
Additionally, H.R. 2 reauthorizes funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This invaluable program is central to the preservation of the Great Lakes freshwater economy. A Federal helping hand will authorize key investments in wastewater infrastructure, cleaning up algal blooms, and modernizing the weatherization program to confront the 21st century challenges of climate change.
Crafted with the expert hand of my friend and colleague, Chairman DeFazio, with significant input from Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, this legislation will build America forward as a Nation.
The eloquent words of Daniel Webster, enshrined on the walls of this House Chamber urge us to ``develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether we also in our day and generation may not perform something worthy to be remembered.''
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2 will be remembered.
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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chair Lipinski, the Rules Committee, and Chairman DeFazio for making my amendment to H.R. 2 in order under en bloc.
Mr. Speaker, this amendment expresses the sense of Congress that Amtrak has taken a wrongheaded and shortsighted approach to limiting daily service on numerous long-distance routes. Amtrak's proposal to limit service on 13 of its long-distance routes will be devastating for the system as a whole and the communities it serves.
After receiving over $1 billion from the CARES Act, Amtrak's plan to limit services of long-distance routes is unacceptable and may lead to a long-term, slash-and-burn strategy by the carrier.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency that shows just how critical Amtrak is to the economic future of our Nation. Cleveland, OH, June 29, 2020. Hon. Marcy Kaptur, House of Representatives Washington, D.C.
Congresswoman Kaptur: I am writing as Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), the metropolitan planning organization for the five counties surrounding Cleveland that represents 2.1 million people and 166 cities, villages, and towns. NOACA is responsible for creating the federally mandated long range transportation vision for the region, and we are currently in the beginning phases of developing our next 30-year Long Range Plan: eNE02050--an Equitable Future for Northeast Ohio. As NOACA's Board of Directors considers the current and future transportation needs of our region, we make important decisions about how to best provide transportation options for all users in an equitable and environmentally sustainable manner. As stated in NOACA's Board-adopted vision statement, NOACA will strengthen regional cohesion, preserve existing infrastructure, and build a sustainable multimodal transportation system to support economic development and enhance quality of life in Northeast Ohio.
In this context, I am writing to express support for your effort to sustain daily Amtrak service to Northeast Ohio, in order to give all residents equitable access to points east and west for education, business, and recreational opportunities. NOACA supports the notion of transportation choice, and Amtrak has long provided an essential option to residents seeking safe and affordable travel to other regions and states. As you know, NOACA is part of a public private partnership to develop Great Lakes Hyperloop, a next- generation hyperloop route that will carry passengers quickly and efficiently to Chicago and Pittsburgh, and beyond. NOACA has entered into an agreement with Hyperloop Transportation Technology (HTT) to make this project a reality in the future. But until that happens, it's important that Amtrak rail service continue on a daily basis, to help students get to college without a car, give business travelers an option other than flying, and give all residents access they deserve to destinations across the nation.
Furthermore, reducing rail service at this time, while the nation is recovering from the COVID-19 economic crisis, would only serve to limit the region's ability to continue moving forward. Even a temporary reduction in service would be detrimental to economic recovery and continued job growth in the important Great Lakes region.
In closing, thank you for your leadership on this issue, and I am pleased to add NOACA's support for your amendment to retain Amtrak daily service as part of Northeast Ohio's transportation network. Sincerely, Grace Gallucci, Executive Director.
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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, Amtrak's proposal will stifle economic recovery and only add to the growing unemployment in communities that are served by these long-distance routes.
Mr. Speaker, despite an infusion of CARES Act funding, these proposed routes guarantee a slimmer workforce that endangers the carrier's long- term health.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for en bloc amendment C and to support H.R. 2.
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