[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16952]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT BART

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2000

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, as the Congresswoman representing eastern 
Contra Costa County and the Tri-Valley area of Alameda County, I rise 
today to express my firm belief that the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) 
system should be extended to Antioch and Livermore, California. While I 
am aware and understand that there are those who want to extend BART 
only to the South Bay, I must remind them that the families and 
businesses of the Antioch and Livermore areas also need BART and have 
been paying their hard- earned dollars into the BART system for almost 
four decades.
  As a very large number of our commuters know, getting to and around 
Silicon Valley, more often than not, is a very difficult problem. This 
year, state and regional planners have begun deciding on the next 
generation of rail and road improvements for the region to address the 
traffic congestion problems. Furthermore, it is clear from the 
Governor's transportation plan and proposed budget that BART to San 
Jose is going to receive certain consideration. However, that does not 
mean that Antioch and Livermore citizens, who have made significant 
financial investments into the BART system, should be overlooked. 
Moreover, any new communities who seek BART service must first buy into 
the system.
  During the next few months, I will be working closely with the 
Governor as well as state and Bay Area planners on a regional transit 
plan. One thing is certain: in order to successfully build any and all 
of these very expensive extensions, we must unite as a region and 
accept one common regional transit plan. As the only Bay Area Member of 
Congress on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I know 
that regional unity is the necessary key in securing the federal and 
state transportation funds we need to build these important transit 
projects. When we are competing for scarce federal dollars with other 
urban centers, we cannot afford to waste our time and resources arguing 
among each other.
  Mr. Speaker, I am confident that any regional plan will incorporate 
the history of BART with the equity of its stakeholders. I look forward 
to working with my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee as well as our Bay Area planners to develop the next 
generation of transit and road projects to meet the ever-growing needs 
of our region.

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