Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - July 29, 2008)

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By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. CARPER):

S. 3360. A bill to increase the availability of domestically manufactured passenger cars for intercity passenger rail service, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that will help us replace and rehab our aging passenger rail equipment and revive the passenger rail rolling stock manufacturing industry in the United States.

We are currently witnessing fundamental changes to our economy and our national transportation system driven by the rising price of oil. High gas prices have caused hardship for millions of American families and are having a deeply negative impact on the Nation's economy. The aviation industry has been nearly crippled by the rising price of jet fuel and has announced it will be cutting over 30,000 jobs, mothballing almost 1,000 aircraft and leaving 100 communities across the country without any commercial air service.

As these trends continue, the demand for an efficient, cost-effective and reliable alternative travel mode increases. Aviation downsizing and the high cost of driving have propelled passenger rail ridership and revenue to record breaking levels, especially in Illinois. Ridership on the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg routes jumped 41.4 percent in fiscal 2007, compared to fiscal 2006. Ridership on all Illinois state-subsidized routes added an additional 181,000 passengers during the first 2/3 of fiscal year 2008, bringing the State's ridership to 670,000 for the year. Across the country, Amtrak's ridership has grown by 12 percent and continues to rise.

These numbers suggest we are experiencing a passenger rail renaissance. However, this upward trend will only continue to a point. Unless we act--and act soon--we may not be able to capitalize on this moment in time and finally make passenger train travel a mainstay of American life, much like elsewhere in the industrialized world.

My bill addresses the most immediate obstacle to making this a reality--the lack of passenger rail train cars and equipment. Amtrak's existing fleet of rail cars is old and in desperate need of repair. Amtrak estimates it will only be able to have an additional five trains--all of which are 30 years old or older--rehabbed and ready for service this holiday season.

We need to re-fleet the aging, broken-down rolling stock that our passenger rail system has been barely getting by with. This bill provides a menu of financing options to bring our existing fleet into a state of good repair and build the next generation of trainsets here at home.

Domestic railcar giants like the Pullman and Budd Companies provided a strong manufacturing base for over 100 years, providing rail cars that are still on the tracks today. But those companies have long since closed their doors and have left the business of making passenger rail cars due to years of underinvestment in the United States and increased investment by European countries.

The Train CARS Act provides funding that will allow us to immediately engage manufacturers currently making trainsets overseas and encourage them to bring their modern design and manufacturing expertise to the U.S. and open rail car manufacturing facilities here to meet our growing demand. Second, the bill provides a tax incentive for private, domestic businesses to reenter the passenger rail equipment business and rebuild facilities and train cars here in the U.S.

We also need to recognize the critical role that States play in boosting rail ridership numbers. Illinois has recognized the need to increase intercity rail service and doubled its funding from $12 million to $24 million annually. This funding has allowed for greater frequencies along Illinois' corridor routes, but we have hit a wall--there are no trainsets to add capacity to handle the growing ridership.

My bill will reward those States that are able to raise revenue for routes by matching, dollar-for-dollar, their contributions for additional rolling stock. These are investments well spent. Amtrak is 18 percent more efficient than commercial airlines on a passenger-mile basis, according to the Department of Energy. Passenger rail engines use electrical propulsion and diesel fuel combinations which are less susceptible to swings in crude prices than jet fuel. With each dollar spent on intercity rail, we take cars off our roads and lessen congestion on our highways, while at the same time increasing economic activity along rail routes.

Lastly, we need to deal with fundamental changes in our transportation system that are on the horizon. We need a twenty-first century rail system that makes flying short distances a thing of the past. To make this possible we will have to explore building a high-speed rail network rooted in major metropolitan areas like Chicago. Electrifying these trains and giving the tracks a dedicated right-of-way will allow us to achieve speeds of 200 mph, without ever burning a drop of oil. This bill includes a provision to explore what types of investment we will need to make that a reality.

As we get closer to the debate of the next surface transportation bill, we stand at a crossroads of a new era for rail service in the United States. Communities are increasingly vocal about their demands for cheaper, cleaner transportation options, and intercity rail service is an integral component of meeting those needs. We need to take this opportunity and revive a dormant passenger rail industry that once offered high-paying jobs to thousands of workers and could easily do so again. Waking this sleeping giant will allow us to lay the ground work for a transportation system that will be the backbone of the 21st century economy; one that is fast, efficient, and oil independent.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

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