I am thankful, however, that we now have a common-sense national strategy unveiled by the Biden administration.

Thank you for holding this hearing on the important steps that need to be taken to protect all transportation users from COVID-19.

help create a more level playing field for Main Street.

DeFazio and Larsen Encourage FAA Administrator to Use the Full Weight of Federal Law to Protect Airline Passengers and Crews Ahead of Inauguration.

This is obviously a challenging time for Amtrak. Intercity and commuter rail has been decimated by the pandemic.

I am not just a big supporter of passenger rail. I am a frequent passenger on both Metra commuter rail at home and on Amtrak.

We should significantly increase the amount of public investment in rail infrastructure.

I remain very hopeful that we will complete a pipeline safety reauthorization bill and have that signed into law.

Thanks, Chairman Lipinski, Ranking Member Crawford, for today's hearing on the STB's role in ensuring a robust passenger rail system.

Passenger rail is an important piece of the climate change puzzle.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is a critical part of this future.

The Texas Central High-Speed Rail project will connect Dallas and Houston--two of the top five largest metropolitan regions in the nation.

I want to thank the members and staff of the Surface Transportation Board who are with us today, for the Board's approval of Texas Central's petition.

I am very proud of the work that this subcommittee has done, along with Chairman DeFazio.

I also want to thank Chairman DeFazio and Chairman Lipinski for working with Congressman Allred, Congresswoman Fletcher and myself.

I am pleased that the STB has applied this analysis to find that it has jurisdiction over projects such as a Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas rail connection.

I'm not just a big supporter of passenger rail, I'm a frequent passenger both on Metra commuter rail at home and on Amtrak.

I am optimistic that in a Biden Administration and under the leadership of Chairman DeFazio this bill will get done.

If they could get it near 2 hours, 2 hours and 15 minutes regularly, there are hundreds and hundreds of more passengers who would take that train every day.

To say that we shouldn't be subsidizing commuter rail or we shouldn't be subsidizing Amtrak is just saying you don't want to run trains, because everywhere else in the world they are subsidized.

Passenger rail is an important part of the climate change puzzle. It is extremely efficient, fuel efficient, much more so than individual passenger vehicles.

I am a strong proponent of passenger rail.

Amtrak intends to furlough at least 2,000 employees on October 1st, 2020.

I believe we will pay a political price if the trust fund runs out in October of 2020.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. There is still much to be done.