Kerry: White House Commitment to High Speed Rail A Step Towards World Class Rail System

[ProSense]

04/16/2009

Kerry: White House Commitment to High Speed Rail A Step Towards World Class Rail System

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), author of the High-Speed Rail for America Act, today praised President Obama’s aggressive plan to revolutionize American rail. Earlier this year, Senator Kerry secured $8 billion in funding for high-speed rail as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA.)

“President Obama’s plan is an effective national investment that will cut pollution, reduce dependence on foreign oil, unclog our roads and airports, and, most importantly, put Americans back to work. I applaud the President’s call this morning for $5 billion in rail funding over the next five years. This infrastructure investment will help move our rail systems up to par with the high-tech rail systems across the globe. For too long, we’ve trailed other countries in high-speed rail, and 2009 can be the year we finally make the investments needed to reverse that trend. ”

The rail provision included in the ARRA allows transit projects to receive tax-exempt financing and requires that high-speed trains must be reasonably expected to reach 150 miles per hour. The new law also includes a provision modeled after Kerry legislation that would exempt interest from private activity bonds from the Alternative Minimum Tax, including interest from high-speed rail bonds. This change would make bonds more attractive to investors.

Senator Kerry has long advocated modernizing America’s trains and railroads. The High-Speed Rail for America Act of 2008, cosponsored by Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), called for $8 billion over a six-year period for tax-exempt bonds to finance high-speed rail projects. The bill also called for an Office of High-Speed Passenger Rail to oversee the development of high-speed rail and provide a consistent source of funding. In the coming weeks, Senator Kerry plans to reintroduce his legislation at an event in Massachusetts that will focus on rail benefits for the Northeast Corridor.

[bdamomma]

1. High speed rail, I guess we are catching up with Europe, it's about time.

[jobycom]

2. It is about time, and mega cudos to Obama and Kerry. But Europe

will probably leave us behind anyway. :)

[Hieronymus]

14. They already are way ahead. It will take us years to even get started.

[blm]

3. Gore or Kerry would have launched high speed rail within months of taking office. What a difference

this would have made to our nation by now. Add it to the LONG LIST of differences.

[karynnj]

20. I think you're right on that - in addition to all the other reasons

switching airline travel for short hops saves a huge amount on carbon. A few months ago the map for Britrail, the UK's system even included the information of the total carbon that would be saved if all intra-UK flights were replaced by train.

[ProSense]

4. WH: A Vision for High Speed Rail

A Vision for High Speed Rail

[and-justice-for-all]

15. It should go coast to coast and from washington state to

Florida.

Glad to see Indy is a High speed rail hub, short drive for me..

[Hieronymus]

16. I'd love to take it cross country. I have travelled all over europe on trains....

A favorite part of any trip. TGV in France is awesome.

[and-justice-for-all]

18. It would far better than flying and tremendously cheaper too...

just think how much people miss off the country when they fly..

[depakid]

19. Maybe so, but if even a few of these routes come into fruition, that will be an acheivement

As these sorts of deals have been talked about and studied for 30 years.

[DrToast]

5. Good. Now build one between LA and Las Vegas...

Two reasons:

1. Piss off the lunatics.

2. IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

[AtomicKitten]

6. from Disneyland to the Las Vegas strip

:thumbsup:

[beachmom]

7. Another great idea first introduced by Kerry being implemented.

Thanks, Prosense, for the statement.

[karynnj]

10. Your Daily Kos Diary on Kerry's original bill was incredible

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/25/95822/061

It is so good that Obama and the Congress chose to make this one of the infrastructure projects. It had to be helpful that a lot of work had already been done on it by Kerry and others so it could be added to the stimulus bill.

[Cha]

8. Progress In the 21st Century with

real plans for transporation that would cut down on fossil fuel consumption.

[Kingofalldems]

9. High Speed Rail? That is communism pure and simple

So say the teabaggers.

[karynnj]

13. They are really all over the map in there accusations -

I really don't get how Obama and the Democrats can simultaneously be socialists and communists and at the same time fascists. I think they are simply losing their collective minds.

[Hieronymus]

17. One teabagger's sign read, "Say no to choo choo trains".

[politicasista]

11. I love this idea

Although I wish the rail route could run through TN. It may change though.

Kudos to Senator Kerry and President Obama for bringing this idea out there. We need another option for transportation. Plus, we need to live in the 21st century.

:kick: :patriot:

[uponit7771]

12. Just the upgrades to current system would put many to work for a long time 5, yr...

...build out and planning at the least.