Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007

Floor Speech

PASSENGER RAIL INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007--Continued -- (Senate - October 30, 2007)

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007. First I would like to thank Senator Lautenberg and Senator Lott and their staff for all of their hard work on this bill. This bill is the product of true collaboration and I am proud to be an original cosponsor. Serving nearly 26 million riders each year, Amtrak provides an invaluable service to travelers and commuters all over the country and particularly along the Northeast corridor.

Unfortunately, in the past few years, we have seen efforts to fully fund and modernize Amtrak thwarted, leaving Amtrak repeatedly underfunded by the administration. This bill will end this pattern of stop-gap funding and provide Amtrak with the resources it needs to improve service and passenger safety as we move forward. As you know, many of the security measures initially included in this bill have already been signed into law as part of the Implementing the 9/11 Recommendations Act. I congratulate my colleagues on these accomplishments as these measures will significantly strengthen the security of our passenger rail system.

As Amtrak formulates its plan for the future, it is important that it has the funding and support needed to maintain the system and restore operations to high performance levels. By authorizing $10 billion over the next 6 years for repairs and operating costs, in addition to millions in grant funding, Amtrak will be able to accomplish this goal and meet the transportation and safety needs of travelers who rely on the system. This bill will also ensure that Amtrak is able to restore the Northeast corridor--the most heavily trafficked stretch of the system--to a state of good repair by the end of 2012. This corridor is relied upon by leisure and business travelers alike and is an integral part of the Northeast economy. I am proud to be an original cosponsor on this bill and believe it provides Amtrak with a solid blueprint for the future.

In New York particularly, Amtrak is indispensable to the economy and business community. Thousands of riders travel daily to New York City for meetings, to visit family and friends or for an early dinner before a Broadway show. Amtrak offers New Yorkers reliable and hassle-free access to cities all along the east coast, making it a crucial mode of transportation for hundreds of thousands of travelers each year.

I am committed to working with my colleagues to continue to improve passenger rail service through Federal support and increases in safety and security and I look forward to the final passage of this bill.

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