Valerie Foushee: “Those of us on this committee know that transit is the great equalizer.”

2023 was a remarkable year for North Carolina passenger rail.

The reality is that ridership estimates for this new system are very low compared to highway or air traffic numbers for one clear reason: they are too slow.

Emissions from the railroad industry in the form of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter have significantly impacted the health of many vulnerable communities that live near rail yards and rail lines across the United…

I have no requests for time to speak on this bill, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8958, and I yield back the balance of my time.