Kaptur, NOACA Statement After House Passes $1.5 Trillion Bill To Create Jobs Rebuilding America's Infrastructure

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and Grace Gallucci, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. This legislation, recently unveiled by House Democrats, will invest more than $1.5 trillion in modern, sustainable infrastructure while creating millions of good-paying jobs, combatting the climate crisis, and addressing disparities in urban, suburban and rural communities across Northern Ohio and throughout the country.

Rep. Kaptur successfully fought to include an amendment to H.R. 2 expressing the sense of Congress that Amtrak has taken a wrongheaded and shortsighted approach to limiting daily service on numerous long-distance routes in Northern Ohio and across the U.S.

"Through robust federal support, this legislation will empower communities across the U.S. as we seek to rebuild our nation's infrastructure, bring our transit and highway systems into the 21st century, and make historic investments in green energy technologies," said Rep. Kaptur. "H.R. 2 reauthorizes funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, an invaluable program central to the preservation of the Great Lakes and the economies it sustains, authorizes key investments in wastewater infrastructure, and updates the weatherization program to confront he 21st century challenges."

"I am also pleased that the House unanimously agreed to my amendment expressing Congress's opposition to the recent Amtrak decision to scale back daily service across the U.S., including in Northern Ohio," continued Rep. Kaptur. "An economic downturn is not the time to scale back investment in rail. Amtrak has already been forced to limit many of its shorter routes, with plans to reduce 13 of its long-distance routes. As many as 461 stations may be impacted, including one of Ohio's busiest stations in Toledo. While long-distance trains are seeing understandably low ridership due to COVID, this will not always be the case. After receiving over $1 billion from the CARES Act, Amtrak's plans to limit services of long-distance routes is unacceptable. This rushed decision will stifle economic recovery and only add to the growing unemployment numbers. As Amtrak announced plans to permanently cut 20 percent of its workforce, there are 18,000 employees who do not know if they will have a job to return to. Failure to act now to protect this vital resource will only make its recovery that much more challenging. There must be a thorough, transparent presentation of facts justifying these proposed cuts and until all the facts are presented Amtrak must not move forward with their plans."

"I am pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives approved Congresswoman Kaptur's amendment to H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act," said Grace Gallucci, NOACA's Executive Director. "NOACA works to create an equitable, sustainable, and multi-modal transportation system for all residents of Northeast Ohio. Daily Amtrak service is an essential part of a balanced transportation system -- providing a much-needed option for college students, business travelers, and all residents wishing to travel east or west without having to drive a car. Any reduction in rail service would impede Northeast Ohio's recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19. I fully support this amendment, and I thank Congresswoman Kaptur for her efforts on behalf of our region."

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), is the metropolitan planning organization representing over 2.1 million people in the five counties surrounding Cleveland, Ohio.

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