Recognizing the 40th Anniversary of the Metra Commuter Rail System

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, today I proudly rise to recognize the 40th Anniversary of the Metra rail system serving the people throughout Chicago and across the region.

The Metra commuter rail system--specifically the Milwaukee District North, the Union Pacific North, and the North Central Service lines-- connects Illinois's 10th district to the city of Chicago and neighboring communities. From Winthrop Harbor through Zion, Waukegan, North Chicago, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highwood, Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka, and Kenilworth; from Antioch through Lake Villa, Round Lake Beach, Grayslake, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Vernon Township, Buffalo Grove, and Wheeling; and from Fox Lake through Long Lake, Round Lake, Deerfield, and Northbrook, Metra is literally a lifeline for the citizens of the 10th District.

Metra began as an amalgamation of private rail services, some of which had existed for more than a century. Today, Metra is the fourth- busiest commuter rail system in the country and serves millions of riders throughout the region with eleven lines moving between 243 stations. Metra serves as a critical backbone for workers and families who depend on reliable, safe transportation through the frigid winter and sweltering summers. Metra is more than just a commuter rail system--it is an indelible feature of life in Chicagoland, serving workers, sports fans, students, the elderly, and many more.

I have been honored to consistently advocate for Metra's priorities during my service in Congress, and proud to have secured funding for projects for station modernization, accessibility improvements, and platform rehabilitation. These historic investments in our transportation infrastructure--made possible under the Biden Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law--will help Metra flourish well into the future.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and service Metra, and the people who ensure the trains run, have provided for the past 40 years. To the engineers, conductors, planners, maintenance workers, advocates, and organizational leaders who dedicated countless hours over the decades to elevate Metra to where it is today--I thank and commend them for their vision and hard work. I look forward to continuing my work with Metra to promote its continued success--not just for the good of the Tenth District, but for all the people in the Chicago region.

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