[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 105 (Thursday, July 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1328-E1329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 8, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2354) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to join with my colleagues on the 
House floor to oppose the Majority's efforts to cut funding for high-
speed rail. As the Congressman from Memphis, a city that was damaged by 
historic floods this spring and a city in much need of disaster relief, 
I applaud the Majority for proposing more than one billion dollars in 
relief. However, I am disappointed that the Majority has decided to use 
high-speed rail funding to offset the cost.
  I am disturbed by the Majority's decision to reach across 
jurisdictions and raid funding from the transportation sector, a sector 
in desperate need of investment. If an offset must be used then it 
should be from funds within the Energy and Water account. I also find 
it alarming that the Majority is cutting funds for high-speed rail, a 
program that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to fund relief for 
disasters that were exacerbated by climate

[[Page E1329]]

change. By cutting this funding, we are increasing our greenhouse gas 
emissions and only ensuring that we will need exponentially more 
disaster relief in the future.
  The United States needs high-speed rail--it is vital to the mobility 
of our people and to our economic competitiveness. Creating a nation-
wide high-speed rail system would be a major economic catalyst that 
would create thousands of jobs, save billions in congestion reduction, 
curb our reliance on fossil fuels, reduce harmful pollution, and 
literally, save lives. Recognizing its enormous benefits, nations 
across the world are investing billions in high-speed rail and are 
creating systems that surpass existing U.S. rail service in speed, 
convenience, reliability, level of service, and comfort.
  My Democratic colleagues and I understand the importance of high-
speed rail and are fighting for vital funding. President Obama also 
understands the importance of investing in passenger rail and has set 
the ambitious goal of providing 80 percent of Americans with convenient 
access to a passenger rail system within 25 years. To reach this goal, 
the President has proposed $53 billion over six years to fund the 
development of high-speed rail and other passenger rail programs as 
part of an integrated national strategy. I support the President's 
goal, an important goal that will never come to fruition if the 
Majority continues to cut high-speed rail funding.
  Building a nationwide high-speed rail system is the 21st century 
equivalent of constructing the national interstate highway system, a 
project that has transformed the Nation. To create a nationwide rail 
system, the government is going to need to dramatically increase its 
rail sector spending. The discrepancy in historical Federal investment 
between highways, aviation, and intercity passenger rail is staggering. 
Between 1958 and 2008, we invested nearly $1.3 trillion in our Nation's 
highways and over $473 billion in aviation. Federal investment in 
passenger rail pales in comparison: we invested only $53 billion in 
passenger rail from 1971 to 2008.
  The American people recognize the absence of high-speed rail in the 
American transportation sector and are clamoring for it. Not a day goes 
by that I am not asked by a constituent about the prospects of bringing 
high-speed rail to Memphis. And Memphis is now closer than ever to 
joining the high-speed rail network, since a study I fought to 
authorize that is examining the feasibility of connecting Memphis to 
the South Central Corridor is nearing completion. But this important 
rail line will only be built if the Majority recognizes the obvious 
value of high-speed rail and transitions from eliminating all funding 
for high-speed rail development to fighting for additional funding.
  Having suffered through historic floods in Memphis this spring, I 
understand as well as any other member of this body how critical one 
billion dollars in disaster relief is. But I implore the Majority not 
to offset disaster relief with high-speed rail funding. We should not 
be forced to choose between leveraging our Nation's prosperity and 
paying for essential disaster relief.

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