[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN RECOGNITION OF LAWRENCE G. REUTER, METRO GENERAL MANAGER

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 28, 1996

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to take this opportunity to recognize 
the many accomplishments of the general manager of the Washington 
Metropolitan Area Transit System [WMATA], Mr. Lawrence G. Reuter. It is 
indeed the Washington area's loss that Mr. Reuter has chosen to accept 
the position of president of New York City's transit system.
  Mr. Reuter, as general manager of WMATA for the past 2 years, has 
consistently proven that he knows how to run a railroad. His 
administrative skills have been evident as he has kept the fast-track 
program, designed to complete the planned 103-mile metrorail system in 
an accelerated time period, on schedule and within budget. Under his 
stewardship, WMATA now has the remaining four rail segments under 
construction. Completion will finally provide a complete network 
linking all of the suburban communities to all of the District of 
Columbia.
  Perhaps the most difficult issues Mr. Reuter has addressed during his 
tenure at Metro are the fiscal challenges faced by all jurisdictions 
throughout this region. He has had to be resourceful in order to 
preserve quality Metro service at a time when State and local response 
to these budgets are lean, and Federal transit assistance has been 
diminishing.
  Mr. Reuter has provided the kind of leadership necessary to run a 
public service organization in these tight fiscal times. He has 
consistently encouraged private sector partnerships in order to fully 
capitalize on the public investment in Metro. He was instrumental in 
the negotiation of an agreement with the RF&P Corp. to construct, 
entirely with private funds, a Metrorail station at Potomac Yard in 
Alexandria, VA. This is the first agreement of this type ever executed 
in the United States. His commitment to public-private partnerships has 
enabled Metro to streamline its joint development program making it 
easier for the private sector to invest in properties near Metrorail 
stations. His efforts to bring private sector investment to locations 
in proximity to Metro reflects his firm view that this region must 
fully utilize our investment in Metrorail. Mr. Reuter recognizes that 
the Metro system provides economic opportunity to all of the 
communities along its lines as well as environmental benefits to the 
entire region.
  Larry Reuter has demonstrated his extraordinary ability to lead 
during one of the most challenging times for the transit authority. 
This region owes Mr. Reuter our gratitude for preserving our investment 
in the Metro system and for continuing to provide quality public 
transit service to the entire National Capital region.

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