[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1219]]


TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE JUDICIARY, 
 THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN E. SWEENEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 13, 2006

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5576) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, 
     Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, 
     District of Columbia, and independent agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes:

  Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank you for your leadership on this 
bill. I am proud to serve as the Vice-Chairman of this Subcommittee. I 
want to echo the words of my friend, Mr. Rehberg, because Amtrak is an 
essential service in my Congressional District and home state of New 
York.
  We have had this debate every year, and we go through this process in 
each of those years. Last year in particular, we fought possibly the 
toughest battle in years for passenger rail. We were threatened with 
vetoes, unless some Amtrak reforms were enacted. So what did we do? We 
enacted reform. One year later, we have seen evidence these reforms are 
working.
  Yet, here we are today with a proposal to fund Amtrak at $900 
million. This allocation is a shutdown number for Amtrak, and it would 
come at the worst possible time to shut down Amtrak.
  This is because we have seen evidence these reforms are working. We 
required Amtrak put in place a new business plan. We required Amtrak to 
institute new service contracts and plans. For instance, they had to 
adopt more efficient accounting procedures. We also demanded they 
restructure their dining services, which was a big money loser.
  The Department of Transportation Inspector General just issued a 
report on Amtrak business practices. According to this April 6th 
report, Amtrak has saved $19 million from October 2005 through February 
2006, thanks to these reforms. This is better than expected.
  Amtrak is saving money because of the institution of these new reform 
plans that we demanded of them. To now shut them down would go back on 
our word. They lived up to their end of the deal, now we must live up 
to ours.
  Finally, in these times of record high gasoline prices, allow me to 
mention that Amtrak promotes fuel conservation. At this time, when we 
are all sensitive about that, it is something that we ought to 
seriously consider.
  A recent study by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory shows Amtrak 
consumes 17 percent less energy per passenger than automobiles and 18 
percent less than planes. A vote to fund Amtrak is a vote to promote 
energy independence.
  I am not naive enough to think that this will solve all of our energy 
problems. Our energy policy should be a multi-faceted approach 
involving increasing our supply of traditional energy, investing in 
forms of alternative energy and promoting conservation. Increasing our 
domestic supply and investing in alternative fuels takes time--years in 
many cases.
  Here is an amendment that is part of this larger solution. 
Furthermore, this is an amendment that will make an immediate 
difference. This will not save gasoline 1 year, 5 years, 10 years from 
now. This will save gasoline tomorrow.
  I urge support of the LaTourette Amendment.

                          ____________________