Corrine Brown

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, anyone who has railroad tracks in their district has heard from constituents who are upset by repeated train whistles. Unfortunately, these train whistles are the most effective way of warning people of an oncoming train. And even still we see constant reports of injuries and deaths on the tracks. Technology holds the key to many improvements throughout our rail system, including improved safety. And hopefully it can help with the age-old problem of train whistles. We also need to invest in more grade separations at rail crossings to improve safety and cut down on the need to blow warning whistles in the first place. Mrs. McCarthy of New York. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, once again I want to thank Mr. Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Subcommittee Chairman Shuster and the staff. On behalf of the American people, I thank you. This is really a great day. Let me say thank you, Mr. Oberstar, for your hard work on this bill and helping to develop this manager's amendment which incorporates provisions in the bill that would improve the overall Amtrak system. We are falling behind other industrialized nations who have prepared their country for the future by investing heavily in high-speed rail. Mr. Oberstar talked about what he did when he was right out of college with his scholarship and how it took him 6 hours to go from downtown Brussels to downtown Paris. Now it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes, over 200 miles. We went less than 6 months ago to visit a new system, downtown Barcelona, Spain, to downtown Madrid, over 300 miles, 2\1/2\ hours, and we didn't even know we were moving. That is our competition. That is who we are competing against as far as when we talk about trade and other issues. They are able to move their people, goods and services, and we are falling behind. Amtrak reauthorization legislation is one of the few pieces of transportation legislation that has passed the Senate. Let me repeat that. Amtrak reauthorization legislation is one of the only pieces of legislation that has passed the other body. We have a great opportunity to go to conference and send a bill to the President's desk that provides a tremendous benefit for the traveling public, creating economic development and decreased energy consumption. The American people deserve the best passenger rail system in the world. I have said over and over and over again, we are the caboose, and we don't use cabooses anymore. This legislation takes a proactive step in addressing the outrageous cost of gas, now over $4 a gallon, and it makes a statement that we are serious about improving our dependence on foreign oil. Rail travel is more efficient and uses less fuel than both cars and airplanes. I would encourage all of my colleagues to support this amendment and support the bill so we can quickly move this bill through the process and have it on the President's desk for his signature.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, the Washington D.C. Metro system is the fourth busiest transit system in the nation. The system provides transportation to the federal employees who work here everyday and the millions of visitors that visit the city each year. This amendment will require a dedicated funding source provided by the local governments that are served by the Metro. Something for which the Metro has been without for far too long. It also creates an office of Inspector General to help provide oversight of the system. This legislation also ensures that rail customers will have access to a broad range of wireless providers in case of an emergency and will provide additional dollars to the Transit Authority. The Metro system that serves this country's capital is a national asset and I hope that both the local and federal government will continue to show full support for the system.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, we would encourage Amtrak to work closely with all the states they operate in to ensure that they are operating in conjunction with local commuter systems. This is one more example of the need for additional rail capacity and the affect this lack of additional infrastructure can have on a state. As more and more states turn to commuter rail service to move their citizens, it will be imperative that passenger, commuter, and freight rail work together to best utilize limited rail resources.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I've got to say that one of the joys of serving in this Congress is serving on this Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with Mr. Oberstar, who is the guru of transportation, not just for Amtrak, but every single area of transportation. And for helping to develop this Amtrak bill. Eleven years without a bill. The last authorization was 11 years ago. And of course I want to thank Mr. Mica for his leadership in this area, and Mr. Shuster, and also Mr. LaTourette, because I want people to know that we didn't just come up with this bill today. This is a bill we've been working on for years. And this is an exciting day for the American people, a real milestone. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act provides over $2 billion per year for capital and operational grants, $500 million per year for developing State passenger corridors, $345 million per year to pay down debt, $345 million per year for high-speed rail programs, and requires a plan for restoring service to the Sunset Limited Line. Amtrak's improved physical state and recent focus on customers service, along with increased highways and airport congestion and rising gas prices, have made intercity passenger rail more popular and necessary than ever. In Fiscal Year 2007, Amtrak carried more than 25.8 million passengers, the fifth straight fiscal year of record ridership. Like its ridership gains, Amtrak's financial performance has improved as well, posting approximately $1.5 billion in ticket revenue, a gain of 10.8 percent over 2006 ticket revenue, and the third consecutive year that ticket revenues increased. More than just a convenient way to travel, Amtrak is also energy efficient. Rail travel is more energy efficient and uses less fuel than cars or airplanes. According to the U.S. Department of Energy data, Amtrak is 17 percent more efficient than domestic airline travel and 21 percent more efficient than automobile travel. And let me just say that there is no mode of transportation that pays for itself. We all subsidize every form of transportation. Current initiatives include a more sleek model, more efficient Auto Train fleet, reducing annual fuel usage by 640,000 gallons, and remanufacturing brake systems throughout the Amtrak fleet that will reduce energy consumption by 8 percent. Passenger rail also reduces global warming. The average passenger rail train produces 60 percent lower carbon emissions than cars and 50 percent less than airplanes. On May 10, Amtrak celebrated National Train Day by holding events throughout the country, over 60, to be exact, showcasing intercity passenger rail and its importance to this Nation. I celebrated National Train Day by holding events throughout my district, including press conferences and events in Jacksonville, Winter Park and at the Sanford Auto Train station. Every event had great turnout, showing strong support for Amtrak, and I got to hear firsthand accounts of people who use Amtrak every day to go to work, to visit friends and family all over the country. Congress also showed strong support for Amtrak and passenger rail by passing legislation supporting National Train Day by 415-0. Fifty years ago President Eisenhower created the national highway system, which really changed the way we travel in this country. Today we need to do the same thing with passenger rail, and make the level of investment necessary for it to become more successful in the future. The American people deserve the best passenger rail in the world, and I believe that this Amtrak authorization will go a long way to raise the U.S. to its rightful place as a world leader in passenger rail. Passing of H.R. 6003 will be the first major step in bringing our Nation's intercity passenger rail system to the 21st century. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote for the Passenger Rail Investment Improvement Act.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I encourage my colleagues to reject this sham amendment. Prohibiting funds for one route will have negative effects on the entire system, and it's already addressed in this legislation in a way that won't harm Amtrak and the services it provides. Opponents of passenger rail have repeatedly tried to siphon off the growth of our Nation's rail system by cutting funds, zeroing out the budget, and now cutting out the only transcontinental passenger route; all while in the same time the opponents have the gall to ask for a better profit model. Let me tell you, I've got some breaking news for you. There is something more important than profit. Amtrak was the first responder during Hurricane Katrina and used the Sunset Limited line, which is being restored in this legislation, to help evacuate thousands of gulf coast region residents while President Bush and his administration was nowhere to be found. Now, that is a part of every key State future evacuation plan. This amendment will have a negative effect on major States, eight-- California, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas, Texas, Texas. The Sessions amendment will do the exact opposite of what we're trying to accomplish with this legislation, which is to expand passenger rail service, reduce congestion and improve our energy independence. Passenger rail's ability to reduce congestion is well known, with ridership numbers increasing steadily each year. One full passenger train can take 250 to 350 cars off the road. Passenger rail also consumes less energy than both automobiles and commercial airlines. I would encourage any Member who don't want to explain to their constituents why they no longer have access to Amtrak service, to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. The United States used to have a strong passenger rail system. Now we're at the caboose, and they don't even use cabooses anymore. The American people deserve better, and I believe that the Amtrak reauthorization bill will go a long way to bring the use to its rightful place as the world leader in passenger rail. In closing, I went from downtown Brussels to downtown Paris, 200 miles, 1\1/4\ hours; downtown Barcelona to downtown Madrid, 2\1/2\ hours. We will move forward with high-speed rail in this country.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, 50 years ago President Eisenhower created the national highway system which changed the way we travel in this country. Today, we need to do the same thing with passenger rail and make the level of investment necessary for us to become the most successful in the 21st century. That is why I am so excited about House bill 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, which was introduced by Mr. Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, subcommittee Ranking Member Shuster, and myself. Amtrak is extremely valuable to our country. It takes cars off the road that are already congested. It reduces congestion in the sky, and it's better for the environment. In many areas of the country, Amtrak is the only mode of transportation available. They have shown major increases in ridership, too, as ridership has increased in 8 of the 9 last years and reached a record level of 25.8 million passengers just last year. And with the cost of gas potentially rising to $5 a gallon, there would be even more riders lining up for Amtrak. Unfortunately, for many years Amtrak had been given just enough money to live alone, never getting the necessary funding to make serious improvement in the system. The hydraulic electric system is 70 years old, 65 percent of the bridges were built in the 1920s, and several tunnels which trains travel through every day were built in the 1800s. In 2005, Amtrak conducted a comprehensive review of its capital needs. The review determined that Amtrak should invest $4.2 billion to bring their infrastructure to the state of good repair. Today, with the backlog of major bridges and tunnel work, the necessary investment capital has approached an estimated $6 billion. As other countries continue to invest tens of billions of dollars each year to improve their passenger rail system, we are falling further and further behind by deferring much-needed improvements to our system. We must find a way to speed up Amtrak bylaws of repair work and bring its assets to a good state of repair so that Amtrak can concentrate on increasing capacity, increasing speed, developing new facilities, and planning for the future. These major infrastructure improvements are also necessary to improve the safety and security of the system and its passengers and workers. Amtrak has and will continue to play a critical role in evacuation and transportation systems during national emergencies. Unfortunately, it is also a prime target for those who wish to harm us, and we must provide resources to make the system less vulnerable. I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to pass important legislation.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. With House Concurrent Resolution 336, we honor the sacrifices and contributions made of our disabled veterans. The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have added well over 30,000 of our sons and daughters to the roles of veterans disabled in defense of our Nation, with the number continuing to grow. Collectively, there are approximately 2.8 million veterans receiving compensation for disability incurred in the line of duty. This resolution calls for the establishment of a single week dedicated annually to each and every one of our Nation's disabled veterans. What better time would there be for groups large and small, national and local, private and public, to come together and remember in their own way the sacrifices of the Nation's heroes? Those great Americans gave the most for the least. They have earned our lasting remembrance and much more. It is far too easy for many to forget the true costs of war, to forget the deaths of our servicemen and to ignore the wounds of those who return. It is too easy for too many of us to think that the cost of war ends when the last soldier returns. Our disabled veterans continue to serve our country in so many ways, bearing their wounds as a reminder to all that freedom and liberty are not free. The men and women who return wounded and disabled from combat, and service to our Nation, remind us of the terrible price we pay, not only in costs measured in dollars, but the costs measured in lives lost and changed. It is therefore right and proper that we remember the service and sacrifice of our disabled veterans and pay tribute and honor to them during this week of Disabled American Veterans Week. When called, they answered. When needed, they served. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude and a heartfelt remembrance for their sacrifice and service. I am reminded of the words of the first President of the United States, George Washington, whose words are worth repeating at this time. ``The willingness with which our people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportioned as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country.'' It is part of my service and duties to visit the veterans' hospitals and clinics in the areas I travel to. I recently visited the medical center in Puerto Rico, dedicated a new clinic in Orange City, Florida, and, before that, the Medical Center in New Orleans. We have been funding the VA and veterans health care at record levels, giving the VA the largest increase in funding in the history of the United States. It is our duty to oversee the VA to make sure that they are spending the money properly in the best interests of our brave men and women who defend the rights and freedom of our great Nation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Con. Res. 336) honoring the sacrifices and contributions made by disabled American veterans.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire).

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 336.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, last week, on June 6, we celebrated the anniversary of one of our greatest military accomplishments and an historic event that changed the face of our Nation and the world. On June 6, 1944, the largest seaboard invasion in history began the 2-month Battle of Normandy. The D-day invasion began during the night, and continued with air and naval attacks and an amphibious attack in the early morning hours. The D-day operation of June 6, 1944 brought together the land, air and sea forces of the Allied armies in what become known as the largest invading force in human history. Operation Overlord landed five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by 195,000 Navy personnel from eight Allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from England, Canada and the United States landed on D-day. Casualties during the landing was over 10,000. New Orleans is the home of a wonderful museum, the National World War II Museum. This museum opened its doors on June 6, 2000, and paid tribute not only to the D-day but all of the efforts in World War II. One of the reasons it is located in New Orleans is it was the home of Andrew Jackson Higgins. The historian, Steven Ambrose, reported that General Eisenhower once told them that Higgins was the man who won the war for us. Eisenhower explained to him that if Higgins had not designated and built the LCVPs, we never could have landed over the open beach. The whole strategy of the war would have been different. According to the National World War II Museum, the Higgins work force was the first in New Orleans to be racially integrated. This work force shattered production records, turning out more than 200,000 boats, including 12,500 LCVPs, or Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel, by the end of the war. General Eisenhower's D-day message read: You are about to embark upon the greatest crusade, toward which we have strived these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you, and hopes and praise of liberty- loving people everywhere march with you. The world still recalls D-day, and the efforts of the United States and our Allies to end fascism in Europe and across the globe. It is fitting that we recall these accomplishments, and this day, and the service and sacrifice that hastened the end of World War II. The world still looks to us for leadership for leadership and to be a beacon to illustrate the path ahead. Let us always strive to provide this light, this leadership and this wisdom to do what is right. Last August I had the honor and privilege to visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France. While there I laid a wreath of flowers in honor of the soldiers that fought and died at Normandy and visited the graves of Floridians who gave their life fighting the Nazis. Tori Robinson, an American gospel singer based in Paris, also a constituent of mine, sung at the ceremony. Her version of God bless America brought people from all over the memorial. There this honor was shared by all visitors in this holy place. I want to take a special note to honor Chairman Obey and Chairman Murtha for their hard work in getting funds for this new Normandy Visitors Center appropriated. My visit to this center followed theirs, which was just dedicated on June 6, 2007, the 63rd anniversary of D- day. This visitors center truly paid tribute to the soldiers who stormed those beaches and gave visitors a true sense of what these men and their loved ones was going through during the war that led up to the D- day invasion. I encourage all Americans to visit this hallowed site. Most of the visitors are from Europe and come to honor the sacrifice of the young Americans made for their freedom. Many brave men and women died on this day, 64 years ago, to restore the freedom we enjoy today. Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms only God knows, reads just one of the 9,387 grave markers at the American cemetery in Normandy, France. We honor them by remembering and this resolution calls us to remember. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1235) expressing support for the designation of National D-Day Remembrance Day, and recognizing the spirit, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who fought and won World War II.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on House Resolution 1235.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to unanimously support House Resolution 1235. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that if the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) offers a resolution as a question of the privileges of the House at any time on the legislative day of June 10, 2008-- (1) the previous question shall be considered as ordered thereon without intervening motion except one motion to refer; and (2) the Speaker may postpone further proceedings on such a vote on a motion to refer as though under clause 8(a)(1)(A) of rule XX.