[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 113 (Thursday, August 1, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1183-E1184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  ENERGY CONSUMERS RELIEF ACT OF 2013

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                               speech of

                            HON. JON RUNYAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 31, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1582) to 
     protect consumers by prohibiting the Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating as final 
     certain energy-related rules that are estimated to cost more 
     than $1 billion and will cause significant adverse effects to 
     the economy, with Ms. Ros-Lehtinen in the chair.

  Mr. RUNYAN. Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak in opposition to the 
proposed cuts to Amtrak in the Transportation, Housing and Urban 
Development (THUD) Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2014.
  Amtrak is a vital need for constituents from my home state of New 
Jersey and to people all along the eastern seaboard. Each day, 
thousands of passengers take to the railways and ridership on Amtrak 
has continued to grow over the past several years. Now is not the time 
to cut their funding.
  These proposed cuts in THUD could cripple the railroad system, 
requiring cuts to maintenance and equipment replacement, which could 
jeopardize the safety of the thousands of Amtrak riders each day.
  Once again, I would like to reiterate how heavily my constituents 
rely on Amtrak for their traveling needs and I urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to come together and oppose the cuts included 
in this legislation.

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