David Price: “I thank the chairman for yielding. I join him in opposing this amendment. It would reduce the total amount of spending…”

“I thank the chairman for yielding. I join him in opposing this amendment. It would reduce the total amount of spending on new infrastructure projects by $474 million. The main criticism of this bill, as the chairman has said, is that we ought to be doing more investment in infrastructure, not less. This amendment would make the bill's shortcomings even worse. The Federal-State partnership for State of Good Repair program can be used for grants along the Northeast Corridor, the Chicago to Detroit Corridor, and publicly owned rail infrastructure throughout the Nation. These corridors include many of the Nation's passenger rail bottlenecks. This amendment would take away dedicated funds to improve passenger rail service throughout our country. It is a distraction from the infrastructure challenges we face. We should be finding ways to invest in infrastructure: worthy new projects, expand mobility and opportunity. This amendment moves in the opposite direction. Mr. Chairman, I urge its defeat.”