Political Quotes

“I rise in support of Senator Durbin and Senator Wicker's amendment. It would direct the Amtrak inspector general to update a report from 10 years ago that examined Amtrak's on- time performance. Some Amtrak routes, particularly along Amtrak's national network, are experiencing frequent delays, which makes train travel a less dependable option and discourages ridership. Ten years ago, the IG report found that the delays were the result of host railroad dispatching practices, track maintenance, speed restrictions, insufficient track capacity, and, often, external factors beyond the host railroad's control. The information that the Amtrak IG will collect in this report will be used to identify ways to improve coordination between Amtrak and the freight railroads. I commend the authors for their amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Vote on Amendment No. 3405 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question now occurs on agreeing to the Heller amendment No. 3405.”