Max Cleland: “Yesterday marked the thirtieth anniversary of Congress's creation of Amtrak. Congress acted then because we realized…”

“Yesterday marked the thirtieth anniversary of Congress's creation of Amtrak. Congress acted then because we realized that along with cars and planes, passenger rail was a vital part of America's transportation future. Today the need for passenger rail is greater than ever. All across this great land, travelers are facing gridlock not only on our highways but we are quickly approaching it in our skies too. I believe many Americans are growing tired of spending so many hours stuck in traffic, or hanging around airport terminals. They want an alternative, now. Fortunately, there is an alternative to growing gridlock and 'winglock.' It is called high-speed passenger rail, and it is a way of traveling that is pleasant and easy, and allows travelers to make the most of their valuable time. So far, high-speed rail exists only in the Northeast. But Amtrak's vision is to build a national passenger railroad system consisting of many regional high-speed corridors linked by long-distance service. This plan will bring another option to the American business traveler, commuter and tourist no matter where they live. That is why I strongly support the High Speed Rail Investment Act of 2001.”