The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved
close to $15 billion yesterday to promote rail travel, relieve bottlenecks and
to begin investment in a new generation of high speed rail. The Passenger Rail
Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 6003), which passed by a veto-proof
vote of 311 – 104, would invest $14.9 billion in Amtrak and developmental
grants for intercity rail over the next five years.
“Americans are searching for alternatives to paying high
prices at the pump and the headaches of air travel. This legislation is a
good start and it saves billions that would otherwise be spent on expanding
existing airports and highways” said John Krieger, an advocate for
transportation for CALPIRG.
Amtrak reported the fifth straight record year for ridership in 2007.
Meanwhile, total vehicle miles for cars and trucks fell for the first
time since the oil crisis of the 1970s.
As with the Senate bill which passed 70-22 last fall, the
House bill establishes a competitive state grant process for high-speed
corridors with matching grants of up to 80 percent.
Both bills also include necessary funding for infrastructure repairs and
investment in improved efficiency, unlike past passenger rail allocations which
barely provided for operations along the system while long-term sustainability
suffered. The House and Senate will assign a conference committee to
reconcile differences in the bills and get a final product to the President,
who has threatened a veto.
“Congress has recognized that we need to be investing in the
trends of the future, and that means more and faster rail travel. Anyone who
has been to a gas station or airport lately can see that.” said Krieger. “If
the White House is paying attention at all, then the President will approve
this much needed and widely-supported legislation as soon as it reaches his
desk.”
