On the recordJune 4, 2015
All in Florida received a private activity bond allocation to issue these bonds. There is no provision in this particular section of U.S. Code that requires a passenger rail project to achieve 150 miles per hour. This amendment would prevent DOT from taking any potential further steps on this very, very important project. If for some reason, let's say the project needed a small extension, DOT could not process it. Now, the passenger rail line that would link Miami to Orlando, frankly, is an important project to the State of Florida and one that I fully support, Mr. Chairman. We have to remember it is being done by the private sector. So I don't think that we should be looking at creating any unnecessary restrictions, any barriers or uncertainty for this project as it moves forward. It is a project--potentially, I think, the first of its kind in the country--where you have the private sector assuming most, if not almost all, of the risk. You have the private sector who is going to be involved in it. The numbers can't be made up, cooked or anything, because it is the private sector who is doing this and who will ultimately be held accountable by their shareholders. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully ask for a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
