Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “Let's first get one thing straight: This is a cut in infrastructure investment, authorized by the FAST Act, which was…”

“Let's first get one thing straight: This is a cut in infrastructure investment, authorized by the FAST Act, which was passed by this body by a vote of 359-65. It is an authorized program in the FAST Act. This is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an earmark. This amendment proposes a cut of $474 million from the Federal Railroad Administration State of Good Repair program. This program was created to address the state of good repair backlog in our intercity rail transportation system. That backlog, by itself, is estimated to be at a whopping $38 billion. This program replaces or, frankly, rehabilitates any publicly owned or Amtrak-owned infrastructure and will ensure intercity rail service is safe, reliable, and ready to support economic and population growth. It is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an earmark. It is an authorized program. Now, let me address the funding shift. Again, I respect the gentleman, but I respectfully oppose what the gentleman is proposing. We have already allocated significant resources to the new search program, which I support, consistent, again, with the President's request. We have chosen to allocate funding for other projects, consistent with the wills of Congress of this House with the FAST Act that benefit both commuter and passenger rail and make significant returns on investment for our country, particularly, by the way, for our economy.…”