[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.

                          ____________________