For Immediate Release July 29, 2003

Contact: Rick Harnish Office: 773-334-6758
Executive Director Cell: 312-339-0116
Midwest High Speed Rail Coalition www.midwesthsr.org

Statement on the Bush Administration's proposal for Amtrak Re-authorization.

The Bush Administration has released their long awaited proposal for the
future of interstate passenger rail service in the United States. We applaud
the
concept of federal matching grants for railroad development, but the proposal
is fatally flawed.

The Administration's proposal is founded on a level of interstate cooperation
never achieved in any other program. In fact, the federal government was
created specifically to handle the responsibilities envisioned for the
often-touted interstate compacts.

Even the designers of the Interstate Highway program recognized this
fundamental structure of our government. That program used a 90% federal
matching
grant to compel compliance with a single nationwide plan compiled from state
plans by the federal government.

Unlike highways, on which any motorist can drive, railroads require a close
relationship between the infrastructure provider and the user and virtually all
intercity passenger rail routes are interstate in nature. Therefore, the
Federal government must be involved in planning and funding the nation's
intercity rail operations.

One need look no further than the Los Angeles to Las Vegas corridor, the
second largest travel city pair in the nation, for a clear example. Despite
being
largely in California, the state with the most progressive and successful
railroad program, no regularly scheduled train has operated between those cities
in the more than five years since the service was announced.

We are glad to see that the Administration has made a serious proposal for a
new railroad program. Unfortunately, a program requiring this level of
interstate cooperation will not create the railroad services that will preserve
the
mobility, economic strength and national security of the nation.
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The Midwest High Speed Rail Coalition is a member supported non-profit
organization promoting the development of fast, frequent, on-time railroad
service
connecting Midwest cities and airports. Our more than 1000 members include
business leaders, mayors and individuals, all of whom recognize the travel and
economic development benefits of an expanded rail network.