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Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008

Date: July 22, 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation


PASSENGER RAIL INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008 -- (House of Representatives - July 22, 2008)

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Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, restoring passenger rail service to one of the most densely-populated urban corridors in Ohio--Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati--is an idea beyond overdue at the station. This corridor is at the heart of a potentially vibrant passenger rail system in Ohio, a fact borne out by a number of studies dating back as far as the 1980's.

Public demand is growing for transportation choices in Ohio. Significant anecdotal evidence around the United States suggests that even basic passenger rail service such as this would draw heavy ridership and grow the demand for more service.

Today, the reality of ever-higher gasoline prices and their impact on the everyday mobility of our fellow Ohioans and on Ohio's economy makes the restoration of rail passenger service in Ohio a critical transportation need.

We are hearing from our constituents increasingly that ``pain at the pump'' leaves them few or only expensive options to travel on business, and to access everything from education to jobs to medical care.

Since January of 2007 alone, the average price of unleaded gas in Cleveland has gone up 72 percent. In some cases, Ohioans are seeing more and more of their incomes going to feed their car and cutting into other life necessities.

A recent study by the Ohio Rail Association discussed the economic impact that high-speed rail would have on Ohio and the surrounding region. Here are just a few of the benefits of high-speed rail in Ohio: A seven corridor high-speed rail system in Ohio would save $9.4 million in fuel per year; there would be approximately 1.1 million annual riders just out of Cleveland alone by 2025; and it would provide 16,700 permanent jobs as well as 6,100 temporary jobs to build the rail system.

I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for the passage of this bill to move Amtrak forward with high-speed rail.

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