Political Quotes

“Mr. President, if you walk around the streets of Chicago and ask people about how they get to and from the city--or around it-- each day, I am sure many of them would tell you: Metra. Metra transports us to Cubs games--in fact, its busiest ridership day was November 4, 2016, during the Cubs World Series victory parade--and it makes sure we can get to work on time. Simply put, the people of Chicagoland depend on Metra rail to get from point A to point B safely and reliably. And this year marks 40 years of Metra's service to our city. Chicago has a rich history when it comes to rail. A century ago, Chicago was the envy of cities across the country, with the largest public transportation system in the world. But by the late 1960s, the system was failing. To put the system back on track, in 1974, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) created the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). After a decade of reorganizing, restructuring, and reimagining what commuter rail could look like and who should be in charge of operating it, in 1985, Metropolitan Rail--or Metra--was born. Since then, Metra has grown into a remarkable operation. With 243 stations on 11 rail lines, Metra is the fourth busiest commuter rail system in the country and the largest outside of New York City. Not only do I represent a State that has long been the railroad center of the country, but working railroads is a tradition in my family. I grew up in East St.…”