Max Baucus: “I rise to make a commitment regarding the High Speed Rail Investment Act. I support passenger rail in the United States…”

“I rise to make a commitment regarding the High Speed Rail Investment Act. I support passenger rail in the United States and I support Amtrak. The State of Montana relies on Amtrak in the north and hopes to secure passenger rail in the south. Last Congress, I worked with Senators Lautenberg, Moynihan and Roth to protect the Highway Trust Fund from a raid by Amtrak. I have been working with Senator Biden this Congress to ensure a similar protection of the Highway Trust Fund. I am extremely concerned about Amtrak 'Double Dipping,' by raiding the Highway Trust Fund in addition to selling bonds. I was so concerned that I withdrew my name as a cosponsor of the bill. I am pleased to say that since then, I have worked with Senator Biden on acceptable language to protect the trust fund. However, this language has not been added to the current High Speed Rail Investment Act, S. 250. It has been included in an amendment that Senator Torricelli filed during the mark-up of this tax package in the Finance Committee and that Senator Biden offered and withdrew today. I can support the language in this amendment. I know that Senators Torricelli and Biden and others wanted to offer this amendment today. I appreciate that they withdrew this amendment, because I don't think that this language belongs on this tax bill. I feel very strongly that we need to examine this bill further before we include it in any package.”