    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 2025)]
    [Senate]
    [Page S1038]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                            TRIBUTE TO RAYMOND LANG

      Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, for the past five decades, Americans have
    relied on Amtrak to travel our great Nation. From shuttling President
    Biden between Delaware and Washington during his early days as a
    Senator to giving people across the country a way of getting to work
    and special destinations, Amtrak is an invaluable service to our
    Nation. And Raymond Lang, who recently retired from Amtrak after 30
    years of service, has been an invaluable part of Amtrak.
      Ray's career at Amtrak started from humble beginnings, as an intern
    in Amtrak's government affairs office in 1994. From the start, he was
    hard-working, reliable, and he loved the work. So, when Amtrak created
    business units, Ray saw an opportunity to join the company full time,
    and in 1996, he was dispatched to the Chicago-based intercity business
    unit's government affairs office. His territory was broad and
    challenging to manage, with many relationships that required careful
    attention. At the time, Amtrak was experiencing significant financial
    challenges, resulting in reduced service. But Ray worked tirelessly--
    almost always traveling by train--to meet with local and State
    officials, bringing their perspective and experiences back to Amtrak
    leadership. In the end, Amtrak restored much of their service.
      Ray carried this specialized knowledge with him for the rest of his
    career with Amtrak. Learning about the communities his company served
    helped them to become some of the strongest advocates for the future of
    rail. There were very few mayors, city managers, State legislators, or
    rail advocates in towns served by Amtrak who did not know Ray. He and
    his team were ambassadors for rail, mobilizing mayors to speak up on
    behalf of expanding and improving Amtrak service and making station
    revitalization a priority in their communities.
      Over the years, Ray left his mark on Amtrak, resulting in promotions
    into positions with greater responsibility and authority. He was
    integral to keeping the legendary Southwest Chief--a long-distance
    route between Chicago and Los Angeles--on its current route, thereby
    keeping rail service in several Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico towns.
    He provided testimony to State legislatures and formed partnerships
    with State departments of transportation staff and leadership. He
    helped inaugurate service on countless routes and was instrumental in
    helping Illinois double its service in the 2000s. And, by the early
    2000s, he was running the Chicago government affairs office, later
    becoming responsible for all State and local government affairs and
    leading a staff based in New York, New Orleans, Seattle, and Oakland.
      Ray was a visible, respected, and accessible leader. And he truly
    cared about Amtrak and all of the communities it served. He worked for
    eight CEOs, all of whom relied on Ray for guidance across the network.
    Ray, always sharply dressed, would escort them to meetings, hearings,
    and local communities. On one such trip, Ray was traveling to
    communities along the California Zephyr route with CEO David Gunn.
    Visiting a mayor in Mount Pleasant, IA, Gunn chose to wear a shirt and
    slacks while Ray wore a suit and tie. When the mayor welcomed them, he
    went straight to the man in the suit, shook Ray's hand first, and said:
    ``It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gunn.''
      In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amtrak promoted Ray
    to be vice president of State supported services. His vast experience
    and relationships with communities across the country made him the
    right person for the job, and he was a steadying hand through Amtrak's
    pandemic recovery. Highlights of his tenure in leadership include new
    service in Virginia, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
      Ray's career has been nothing short of exceptional. He has been a
    trusted partner to my office over the years, and Amtrak is better off
    because of Ray's leadership--as are the millions of Americans who
    depend on Amtrak. I wish Ray and his wife Brenda the best of luck in
    this next, well-deserved chapter of their lives.

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