Denny Rehberg

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the LaTourette amendment. I would like to enter into the Record the following article from the Wall Street Journal that depicts the changes that Amtrak has implemented on Montana's own Empire Builder Line, the most popular long distance train in the United States. [From the Wall Street Journal, Mar. 17, 2006] Amtrak on an Upgrade (By Daniel Machalaba) Shelby, Mont.--Karyn Hamilton, like many Amtrak riders, had a dim view of the nation's passenger railroad as low-class, uncomfortable and not much better than a bus. But the marketing director of a financial-management firm in Portland, Ore., changed her mind during a trip last August on the Empire Builder, an Amtrak long-distance train undergoing a dramatic makeover that includes new carpeting and colors, pleasant staff, and upgraded food service. As the silver, diesel-powered train rolled across the prairie, Ms. Hamilton and other first-class passengers were treated to a wine-and- cheese tasting party. They dined on meals made with recipes drawn from the bygone heyday of train travel. At bedtime, she found a fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookie in her spiffed-up sleeping cabin. ``It's getting more like a cruise ship,'' Ms. Hamilton says. After years of financial and political crisis, Amtrak is making a calculated gamble: To boost revenue on its longer-haul trains, the railroad is altering its longstanding one-size-fits-all approach to passengers. Instead, it is courting affluent leisure travelers willing to pay extra for first-class, sleeping-car service. (The differential is substantial. Fares vary by season and day of the week, but if someone were planning to travel, for example, on April 16, a one-way coach fare from Chicago to Seattle would cost $134 for the two-night trip. First- class passengers would pay the basic coach fare plus another $270 for a roomette or $466 for a bedroom.) The changes began with a major makeover of the Empire Builder last summer. Now, Amtrak plans to extend the changes to some other long-haul trains, while also attacking union work rules and bloated food-service expenses. Amtrak's board also is considering cuts to its headquarters overhead by streamlining repair shops, maintenance operations, reservation call centers and train stations. The shakeup is an acknowledgment by Amtrak officials that they are running out of chances to stave off pressure from the Bush administration to break up or even liquidate the federally subsidized--and unprofitable--railroad. ``We're living on borrowed time,'' says David Laney, Amtrak's chairman. ``We have to demonstrate what we can do on our own before it is taken out of our hands.'' Last year, the Bush administration proposed eliminating subsidies to Amtrak, which has been kept afloat with $30 billion in federal aid since 1971, according to the Department of Transportation. While Congress approved $1.3 billion in funding for the current fiscal year, the Bush administration latest budget request includes $900 million--a 31% cut--for fiscal 2007. And the DOT would hold back nearly half of the money until Amtrak demonstrated continued progress on reform. Yesterday, Amtrak said it would ask Congress for $1.598 billion for fiscal 2007, almost all the increase for capital spending. As part of the do-or-die overhaul, Mr. Laney fired Amtrak President David Gunn last November. Mr. Gunn had been widely praised for stabilizing Amtrak's finances, jumpstarting repairs to the Northeast Corridor and restoring credibility with Congress. But Mr. Laney, a Dallas lawyer and Republican loyalist appointed to the Amtrak board in 2002, concluded that Mr. Gunn was standing in the way of more-drastic reforms. Mr. Gunn says he was fired because he opposed the Bush administration's Amtrak strategy. Mr. Laney says the next crucial step for Amtrak is to fix some notorious customer-service problems, ranging from dirty cars to unhelpful and rude onboard employees. About 30% of all Amtrak trains are late. Rep. John Mica, a Republican from Florida and longtime Amtrak critic, complains Amtrak can ``rival some of the Third World and former Soviet Union rail experiences.'' Mr. Laney acknowledges that passenger service by Amtrak is ``in some cases superb and in some cases miserable.'' The restructuring likely puts Amtrak on a collision course with its 17,000 unionized workers, two-thirds of whom haven't had a new contract for about five years. Amtrak officials estimate union restrictions cost the railroad about $100 million a year. Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO union's Transportation Trades Department, said in a statement that the Bush administration's reform effort is an attempt to ``scapegoat workers for the failures of the federal government and the current Amtrak board.'' Some of Amtrak's worst problems are beyond its control. Formed to relieve freight railroads of money-losing passenger trains, Amtrak shares nearly 22,000 miles of track with the freight trains, and congestion is worsening. Still, Amtrak believes better service will lure riders and shrink losses on long-distance lines. On long-distance routes that are primarily used by passengers for basic transportation, starting with the Texas Eagle and the City of New Orleans, the railroad is rolling out a new type of dining service that makes greater use of precooked meals and introduces disposable plastic plates. Those changes are designed to cut the number of dining-car employees to three per train from five or six. Meanwhile, Amtrak is replacing mandatory meal-serving periods with more flexible hours. Over the next few years, it plans to rebuild dining cars to replace traditional table seating and allow passengers to sit at the bar or watch passing scenery from crescent-shaped booths that face the windows. Meal service will then be available as much as 18 hours a day, up from about eight hours now, allowing Amtrak to serve more people and boost revenue. Amtrak hopes to cut $32 million from its annual food-service loss of $123 million. The Empire Builder is the rolling laboratory for some of the changes. The train, which made its first trip in 1929, is one of Amtrak's most popular, carrying nearly 500,000 riders a year. During the daily 2,200-mile trek between Chicago, Seattle and Portland, Ore., the Empire Builder chugs past spectacular scenery. Its on-time record is about 68%, and it posted an average loss of $78.57 per passenger in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. While the Empire Builder is so far sticking with the traditional dining-car format, staffing level and made-to- order food, its added amenities and upgraded service are noticeable. Amtrak put a small fleet of rebuilt passenger cars with hip blue-and-white interiors on the line--a big improvement over the drab orange and brown that dominated older cars. Employees now must introduce themselves to passengers. Conductors must stay up all night in the dining car in case they are needed. So far, the Empire Builder makeover appears to be enticing more passengers, particularly during the off-season when ridership typically declines. But David Hughes, Amtrak's acting president, says it is impossible to ever make long- distance trains like the Empire Builder profitable. Those trains are expected to generate $382 million in fiscal 2006, or about one-fourth of overall Amtrak revenue, but post losses of more than $493 million, or about $125 for every passenger.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, before I begin, may I have a parliamentary inquiry to have unanimous consent to interject a letter into the Record? Do I do that during this debate?

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of Mr. LaTourette's amendment. One of the things you heard talked about was the fact that Amtrak was making changes. That is absolutely incorrect. I have an article I am going to interject into the Record: ``Passenger Railroad Improves Service on Long-Haul Trains to Lure Travelers.'' The Empire Builder, which is in Montana, is the rolling laboratory for some of these changes. I represent a district that spans the distance of Washington, D.C. to Chicago. Think about it: Washington, D.C. to Chicago. In many areas, this is the only form of transportation we have. Many of you have airlines. We do not in northern Montana. Many of you have bus service. We do not in northern Montana. We use this service for essential service to get our people to hospitals, to doctors, to school, to visit relatives. This is not just something we are wasting money on. This is an essential service, an essential product for the people of America. If you are going to build a more secure future for the people of Montana, then you have to be realistic. You don't gut and undermine the effort that they are attempting to make at this time to improve the service of the Empire Builder in Amtrak. I ask you, please support Mr. LaTourette. [From Business Focus, Mar. 17, 2006] Passenger Railroad Improves Service on Long-Haul Trains To Lure Travelers (By Daniel Machalaba) Shelby, Montana.--Karyn Hamilton, like many Amtrak riders, had a dim view of the nation's passenger railroad as low- class, uncomfortable and not much better than a bus. But the marketing director of a financial-management firm in Portland, Ore., changed her mind during a trip last August on the Empire Builder, an Amtrak long-distance train undergoing a dramatic makeover that includes new carpeting and colors, pleasant staff, and upgraded food service. After years of financial and political crisis, Amtrak is making a calculated gamble: To boost revenue on its longer- haul trains, the railroad is altering its longstanding one- size-fits-all approach to passengers. The changes began with a major makeover of the Empire Builder last summer. Now, Amtrak plans to extend the changes to some other long-haul trains, while also attacking bloated food-service expenses. Amtrak's board also is considering cuts to its headquarters overhead by streamlining repair shops, maintenance operations, reservation call centers and train stations. The shakeup is an acknowledgment by Amtrak officials that they are running out of chances to stave off pressure from the Bush administration to break up or even liquidate the federally subsidized--and unprofitable--railroad. ``We're living on borrowed time,'' says David Laney, Amtrak's chairman. ``We have to demonstrate what we can do on our own before it is taken out of our hands.'' Last year the Bush administration proposed eliminating subsidies to Amtrak, which has been kept afloat with $30 billion in federal aid since 1971, according to the Department of Transportation. While Congress approved $1.3 billion in funding for the current fiscal year, the Bush administration latest budget request includes $900 million--a 31 percent cut-- for fiscal 2007. And the DOT would hold back nearly half of the money until Amtrak demonstrated continued progress on reform. Yesterday, Amtrak said it would ask Congress for $1.598 billion for fiscal 2007, almost all the increase for capital spending. As part of the do-or-die overhaul, Mr. Laney fired Amtrak President David Gunn last November. Mr. Gunn had been widely praised for stabilizing Amtrak's finances, Jump starting repairs to the Northeast Corridor and restoring credibility with Congress. But Mr. Laney, a Dallas lawyer and Republican loyalist appointed to the Amtrak board in 2002, concluded that Mr. Gunn was standing in the way of more-drastic reforms. Mr. Gunn says he was fired because he opposed the Bush Administration's Amtrak strategy. Mr. Laney ways the next crucial step for Amtrak is to fix some notorious customer-service problems, ranging from dirty cars to unhelpful and rude onboard employees. About 30 percent of all Amtrak trains are late. Rep. John Mica, a Republican from Florida and longtime Amtrak critic, complains Amtrak can ``rival some of the Third World and former Soviet Union rail experiences.'' Mr. Laney acknowledges that passenger service by Amtrak is ``in some cases superb and in some cases miserable.'' The restructuring likely puts Amtrak on a collision course with its 17,000 unionized workers, two-thirds of whom haven't had a new contract for about five years. Amtrak officials estimate union restrictions cost the railroad about $100 million a year. Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO union's Transportation Trades Department, said in a statement that the Bush administration's reform effort is an attempt to ``scapegoat workers for the failures of the federal government and the current Amtrak board.'' Some of Amtrak's worst problems are beyond its control. Formed to relieve freight railroads of money-losing passenger trains, Amtrak shares nearly 22,000 miles of track with the freight trains, and congestion is worsening. Still, Amtrak believes better service will lure riders and shrink losses on long-distance lines. On long-distance routes that are primarily used by passengers for basic transportation, starting with the Texas Eagle and the City of New Orleans, the railroad is rolling out a new type of dining service that makes greater use of precooked meals and introduces disposable plastic plates. Those changes are designed to cut the number of dining-car employees to three per train from five or six. Meanwhile, Amtrak is replacing mandatory meal-serving periods with more flexible hours. Over the next few years, it plans to rebuild dining cars to replace traditional table seating and allow passengers to sit at the bar or watch passing scenery from crescent-shaped booths that face the windows. Meal service will then be available as much as 18 hours a day, up from about eight hours now, allowing Amtrak to serve more people and boost revenue. Amtrak hopes to cut $32 million from its annual food-service loss of $123 million. The Empire Builder is the rolling laboratory for some of the changes. Its on-time record is about 68 percent, and it posted an average loss or $78.57 per passenger in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. While the Empire Building is so far sticking with the traditional dining-car format, staffing level and made-to- order food, its added amenities and upgraded service are noticeable. Amtrak put a small fleet of rebuilt passenger cars with hip blue-and-white interiors on the line--a big improvement over the drab orange and brown that dominated older cars. Employees now must introduce themselves to passengers. Conductors must stay up all night in the dining car in case they are needed. So far, the Empire Builder makeover appears to be enticing more passengers, particularly during the off-season when ridership typically declines. But David Hughes, Amtrak's acting president, says it is impossible to ever make long- distance trains like the Empire Builder profitable. Those trains are expected to generate $382 million in fiscal 2006, or about one-fourth of overall Amtrak revenue, but post losses of more than $493 million, or about $125 for every passenger.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman as well for being patient and considerate on this amendment. We know it is not perfect. We are willing to work on the issue. I have a couple of businesses in Montana, through no fault of their own, that signed a contract with Enron. It became very apparent early that Enron was not going to be able to fulfill their responsibilities under this contract. Unfortunately, they are innocent bystanders that got included in the bankruptcy court. Ultimately, it ended up in the jurisdiction of FERC. This amendment allows an opportunity to buy them some time to come up with some kind of a mediated solution. So I recognize it is not perfect. I want to again thank the chairman for his patience and consideration. I thank Mr. Inslee for introducing the amendment and hope that we can pass this amendment.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. First of all, let me begin by thanking Mr. Souder for his tremendous leadership on this issue, and in taking a look at this amendment, this is an extremely important amendment. What the amendment does is it ensures that no less than 10 percent of the national media campaign funds will be expended on advertisements specifically intended to reduce methamphetamine use, and it allows the director to award grants to private entities. I heard the joke not long ago that said, creativity is nice but plagiarism is a whole lot quicker. Usually plagiarism is not a good thing, but in this particular case I want to talk about a project in Montana that is worthy of copying in all the other 49 States. Some of you computer nerds might recognize the name Siebel. Tom Siebel sold his business to Oracle, so he is out of that business. He set up a 501(c)(3) called The Meth Project in Montana. The Montana Meth Project is the first affiliate. We are spending currently about $10 million just on methamphetamine use alone, trying to get a targeted message to 12- to 17-year-olds. Our children are using meth. We need to get to it. It is a fabulous program. We do not need to recreate the wheel. What we do need to do is allow the director the opportunity to have the flexibility to grant monies from this program to other entities to prove that there are other advertising strategies out there. When you go to the doctor with an illness, usually you go to a family practitioner; but when you finally find out what is wrong, you will probably go to a specialist. Methamphetamine is a cancer. We can carve out surgically the problem if we identify it. We use a rifle-shot approach if we follow a model similar to what is happening in Montana. Let me use the numbers. Within the last 6 months we have had 30,000 minutes of television, 30,000 minutes of radio advertising, print, billboards, Internet ads. We are reaching each teen in Montana, on average, 3 times a day. It is phenomenal and we are seeing the numbers drop. These are the kinds of exciting programs that, once you make the determination that not all good ideas originate in Washington, D.C., there are ideas throughout the Nation, the rest of the country will be jealous. They will want the opportunity to copy what we have got going on in Montana. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves).

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), one of the sponsors.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) who has played a very, very important role in the whole meth issue, and I thank him for helping to cosponsor this.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank everybody, everybody who has talked on the issue today, everybody who has been involved on this amendment and the bill as well. Mr. Cummings, Mr. Souder, your leadership on the whole drug issue has been very important to this country. We are lucky in Montana. We have 930,000 people. We have 147,000 square miles, and we decided to make ourselves the pilot project to see if it could work, if we could have a massive campaign run like pretty much a political campaign. We have polling. We have focus groups. We have monitoring to see if our advertising is effective. We have both Senators, Senator Baucus, Senator Burns and myself, Governor Schweitzer. We have the State legislature, law enforcement, district courts, Supreme Court, the judges and the U.S. Marshal all involved in this issue. It is the most phenomenal program I have ever seen, and I want to welcome you to the program, and I would like to share with you, as well, if you are interested in seeing the ads, if you would like a presentation, it is the kind of program that will make a government program that is already funded here in Washington even better. We are not trying to replace it. All we are trying to do is present the idea to the drug czar, to the administration, to the director and say if you are interested in something like this, you ought to have the ability to either grant to an organization like this or this organization. It is a 501(c)(3), so it is a not-for-profit, but it is a great idea. So what we want to do is provide the flexibility. Forty-four percent of teens believe meth helps you lose weight. Thirty-nine percent of teens believe that meth makes you feel happy. Thirty-five percent of teens believe meth gives you more energy. Twenty-three percent of teens have close friends who use meth. It scares me to death. I have a teenage daughter. I have one coming up shortly behind. Our children will tell you they are confronted by this problem every day at school. We did not have the fear that they do of going to school and being confronted with something that you use it once and it is proven it stays in your brain for many, many years, a drug that makes you want to pull your hair out, pick your skin off. You start bleeding. You lose your teeth. This is the kind of thing we cannot allow in our country. There are a lot of issues we deal with on a daily basis in Congress. Sometimes we name post offices. Other days we deal with issues like September 11, and on a scale of 1 to 10 this is an 11. When it comes to issues that this country needs to deal with and this Congress needs to address, this methamphetamine use and drug use within our general population, especially among some of our most vulnerable, which are our teens, 13 to 17 or 12 to 17, we have got a program we would like to share with you as a pilot project. There are many ideas out there coming up from all over the country, and what my amendment does is give the director the flexibility to try some new and creative things and require at least a simple 10 percent of the money for advertising be spent on methamphetamine. Again, they have come in this year for a budget request of about $120 million. So this means at least $12 million would be spent. We are spending that much almost this year in Montana. So 10 percent is not enough. Let me point out and thank at this time the other major players in this whole arena: television stations, radio stations, newspapers, the Internet. They are all voluntarily matching dollar for dollar every dollar that is being put in the Montana meth project. This is a tremendous volunteer organization and a tremendous advertising program. I think you will like it if you see it. Again, I hope you will support the amendment; and to all my colleagues that spoke today, that worked on this amendment, thank you for giving us the consideration that you have. Please favorably look at this amendment and vote ``yes.'' Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) for his hard work and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) as well. The current energy crisis has caused us to refocus on future energy needs, how we can become more efficient and produce more energy from the same resources with less pollution. Funds have been correctly appropriated in this bill to research initiatives that will speed up the deployment of hydrogen fuel cells, coal gasification technologies, advanced turbine research, next generation fuels, and environmental controls. In this bill, you will see Future Gen. Future Gen is a Department of Energy collaboration with private industry to develop a near-zero emissions power plant. Unlike traditional coal-fueled generation facilities, sulfur and mercury will be removed before combustion, and the carbon dioxide will be safely sequestered underground, making Future Gen the most environmentally friendly coal-fired generation facility in the world. The success of this venture requires government support to cost-share substantial private investments. This conference report sends a powerful message that the United States is prepared to move forward and construct such a facility. I support these efforts and would like to again thank Chairman Hobson and Ranking Member Visclosky, and I look forward to seeing these research initiatives becoming a reality.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from California for keeping this issue on the front burner. I have come to learn in my time in Congress that people support reform, as long as it does not change anything, and that is what we find with the endangered species reform. I thought I was given a great honor when I first got here in the year 2001. The gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) of the Committee on Resources put me on the study group to talk about the Endangered Species Act, to try and finally get it off the dime. The gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) were the Democrats; and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and myself were the Republicans, and, unfortunately, it took us literally 6 months to finally agree what time to meet and where. The difficulty with the Endangered Species Act is it is failing endangered species. Anytime you start getting T-shirts and bumper stickers and jokes about a law, you know you have got a problem. I brought along a shovel today because the biggest joke in Montana is shoot, shovel, and shut up. The problem is there are those that want to protect species. They do not want them to become extinct. They want to do the right thing. But this Congress many years ago created a disincentive to do the right thing, rather than an incentive; and if you learn anything about public administration or government, when you create a disincentive, usually you are pretty successful. We are not saving the species we need to. We need to get off the dime. We need to finally solve this issue. Everybody recognizes it is broke. We can no longer use the excuse that it is just not exactly what we want. It is time to end the joke of shoot, shovel, and shut up. I want to thank the gentleman from California for bringing this issue forward and finally getting off the dime and giving us an opportunity to vote for a reform package that truly does what we need to do, and that is save the species of this country.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Government Reform Committee and this body for joining me in recognizing one of my constituents, Paul Kasten, an employee of the U.S. Postal Service for the past 57 years. Before his retirement this spring, at the age of 86, Paul Kasten had spent the last half-century serving eastern Montana. He began his postal career in 1947 riding a saddle horse to the farming community of Watkins. In 1959, many of the rural routes consolidated expanding Mr. Kasten's route to 93 miles. Despite the immense distances, he would deliver regular mail to 30 families three times a week. His dedication and faithfulness earn him praise above which he will acknowledge. In addition to his mail deliveries, Paul would also deliver groceries, supplies, and anything that was needed by his rural customers. He was and is a valued and dedicated member of those communities. Paul Kasten is a tribute to the entire U.S. Postal Service and I urge your support for his distinguished career. In honor of all his years of faithful service please join me in recognizing Mr. Kasten's achievements by designating the Brockway Post Office as the ``Paul Kasten Post Office Building.'' Thank you.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute one of the many brave men and women who serve all of us in our great military. I would especially like to pay tribute today and offer my personal thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Richard ``Moose'' Haas, of the United States Air Force, for a job well done. As a fellow Montanan, I'd like to take this time to highlight Colonel Haas' service to our country. Today, he serves in the Pentagon, working at the leading edge of future National Defense writing concepts outlining how the Department of Defense will maintain the peace and security of this great Nation for years to come. Moose is a highly decorated combat veteran winning two Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor during missions in Operation Desert Storm. He has also served in Operations Desert Shield, Deny Flight, Provide Comfort, and more recently in Enduring Freedom where he helped plan the Air Campaign against Taliban and Al Qaeda forces. He has logged over 2500 hours in the F-111 and F-15E fighter aircraft, with over 300 of those in combat. I know many of my colleagues will join me in thanking Colonel Haas for the many years of service he has given our country and in congratulating him on retirement. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I introduced the Private Property Protection Act, a companion bill to legislation in the Senate designed to correct the erroneous decision made by the Supreme Court on June 23. That decision redefined the Constitution's fifth amendment. That decision, Kelo v. City of New London, was a slap in the face of homeowners, small businesses, and, frankly, Americans. Ordinary private property owners stand to suffer from the corrupting influence this sweeping legislation will have because government officials, because government officials can aggressively use the powers of eminent domain purely for economic reasons. Our legislation establishes two important standards that must be met before government decides to exercise its power and take and transfer private property. The first standard is that eminent domain should only be used for public use, as guaranteed by the fifth amendment. The second is that this power should be reserved only for true public uses, not simply to provide private economic development so government can make more tax revenue. Let us stop the abuse of eminent domain before it happens. I urge the Members of this body to support this very necessary piece of legislation.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I too recognize the difficult position that the Appropriations Committee has been put in with the cost of Amtrak and the ongoing costs. I just caution the Members of this body that there are States like myself. I represent an entire State. The distance of my district spans the distance of Washington, DC, to Chicago. Our cities were not established in Montana because of rivers and a port. We were established because of the rail. Rail in Montana is not an essential service; it is a critical service. In many cases, we have good bus service. It just does not happen to be in the area where Amtrak is. We have good air service. Unfortunately, it just does not happen to be in the area where the rail is. And so, in our particular case, where you have a large geographical area with very little population, it becomes a critical service to provide not only our products but our passengers as well. The Empire Builder in Montana has as many as 500,000 people traveling on it. Do we recognize it is subsidized? Yes, we do. But I do not think the founding fathers and I do not think this Congress ever intended it to be run entirely like a business. We want good quality service. We want a cheap price. The problem is there cannot be competition because you cannot set up a rail next to the other. You cannot have two railroads competing against each other. So Amtrak is one of those entities that cannot entirely be run like a business. And so I hope you have listened to the gentleman from Ohio's amendment because what it does is it lays the foundation of implementing the beginning of a reform initiative within Amtrak that will make it run more like a business. It can be supported, and ultimately, we will have the rail service in States like Montana and the rest of the long lines that are so critical within our transportation system. I hope you will support the amendment.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, although I am not going to, I would like to sincerely thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) of the Committee on Resources and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I am sincerely grateful that they were willing to move this through on a unanimous consent as quickly as possible. A crisis has occurred in Montana one more time. It seems like it is feast or famine for us. We were just going into our eighth year of drought, no rain, well beyond the opportunity to recover. And the prediction was it was going to take as much as 16 feet of snow in the mountain to get us caught up in the moisture. We began getting the rains and, unfortunately, the next thing that happened were mudslides closing off the Beartooth Pass. Some Members might remember the Beartooth Pass was considered to be the crown jewel on the part of Charles Kuralt. As he traveled around the 50 States, he made the determination that of the 50 States that was the most beautiful part of the entire Nation. I am sure there are a lot of Members in this audience that might object to that definition. But if you look at the recorded list that he put together, the Beartooth Pass was something special. Feast or famine in that area is nothing new. Cooke City, unfortunately, was the site of the 1988 fires in Yellowstone Park. Unfortunately, a forest fire came down within hundreds of feet of the community. They were able to withstand that economic devastation. This is going to create another economic devastation. The detour that is going to be required to get to the community of Cooke City until this road is reopened probably is about the size of Illinois by the time you get around that detour. It is not just like taking a different route. It is like taking several different States. I know my colleague, the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), and my colleagues, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) and the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter), know the importance of Yellowstone Park to the economy of our region. So we really need it. The sense of urgency shown on the part of the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo) just cannot be underestimated, and I thank the gentleman for that. This severely impacts the economy of Carbon County, of Red Lodge, of Cooke City, of Billings, the surrounding area. It is going to be a very complicated fix because it is a switch back. If you have not been there, it ends at the top at about 10,000 feet, a chain of lakes, it is flat, and it is the north entrance to Yellowstone Park. As the mudslides occurred, it took several layers of that switchback out. I think the estimate I heard was about 500 tons of material are sitting on that road. I will be flying that on Saturday by helicopter, taking a look at the devastation, but it has been an incredible effort, a community effort on the part of the Federal, State, and local jurisdictions as well as the communities coming together. Again, I thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo) for giving us the opportunity to move this very quickly.

Mr. REHBERG. I yield to the gentlewoman from Wyoming.

Mr. REHBERG. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman not only for his sense of urgency but his kind consideration in letting me go out of turn in my statement. I thank the chairman. I thank the House of Representatives for its positive consideration of this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. REHBERG

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent for 2 additional minutes. The ACTING Chairman. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Montana?

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, point of clarification, if the intent is to split the proponents of the amendment, so I am a proponent, 15 minutes in favor of my amendment and 7\1/2\ minutes each to those that are opposed to the amendment, is that what the unanimous consent requests?

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).