Political Quotes

“Mr. Romney wants to eliminate the funding for Amtrak. This is one of his targets. Well, the United States is--in the past, I have actually been brought up short when I've talked about the United States having a third world rail passenger system, because I've ridden railroads in places like Malaysia or Thailand, and we do an injustice to their rail systems. The United States is the only major country in the world that does not have higher-speed rail passenger service. It is the only major country that has no plan to move forward. The President, to his credit, put forth $14 billion to be able to strengthen our rail passenger system, some of which, several billion would have helped with a California vision; the California voters have approved an opportunity to go forward. It is frustrating for me because there is no doubt that Americans will have higher-speed rail over the course of the next quarter century, no doubt. But the question is, coming back to the point that you have so relentlessly and eloquently developed on the floor here, Congressman Garamendi, is the notion of: Where will America's rail system come from? Because the path we're on, if we follow it with Romney, who would zero it out, with Republicans who have fought these investments every chance they get, the high-speed rail we'll have will be built and operated by the Chinese. They will design it; they will build it. The value will be added in another country, and we'll pay for the privilege.…”