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- From: nigel.allen@canrem.com (Nigel Allen)
- Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
- Subject: High Speed Trains Win in U.S. Senate
- Message-ID: <1992Jul31.192527.3289@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Date: 31 Jul 92 19:25:27 GMT
- Sender: news@mont.cs.missouri.edu
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- Organization: Echo Beach, Toronto
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- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
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- Press release from Joseph Vranich
-
- High Speed Trains Win in Senate
- To: National Desk, Transportation Writer
- Contact: Joseph Vranich, 703-941-8927
-
- WASHINGTON, July 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The High Speed Rail/Maglev
- Association hailed today's Senate action that would put tax-exempt
- bonds for high-speed train systems under the same rules as airport
- bonds, allowing planners to use private capital in construction.
- The effort, led by Sens. Steve Symms (R-Idaho) and Bob Graham
- (D-Fla.), was an amendment to the Energy Bill.
- The president of the association, Robert J. Casey, released this
- statement:
-
- "This is the first time the Senate has considered putting
- high-speed train systems on a truly equal footing with other modes of
- transportation, and the sense of fair play prevailed.
- "I wholeheartedly agree with Sen. Symms' closing statement that
- the high-speed rail provision is good energy policy, good
- environmental policy, good transportation policy and good tax policy.
- "It's clear from the vote that broad-based support exists from
- senators of both parties and from every region of the country,
- showing that high-speed trains have become a national issue.
- "It was appropriate that the effort was made in conjunction with
- the energy bill. After all, electrically powered high-speed trains
- are the most efficient form of intercity transport ever designed. If
- we're serious about reducing oil imports, we must build high-speed
- train systems.
- "We will work to ensure that the measure is enacted into law as it
- moves into the conference committee and is considered by the White
- House.
- "Specifically, the provision would remove the requirement that an
- allocation under state volume caps must be obtained for 25 percent of
- bonds issued for high-speed rail systems.
- "Congress has already recognized the importance of tax-exempt
- bonding authority for the development of airports, seaports and
- high-speed train systems. However, the restriction applies only to
- high-speed train systems. Since many states are already operating
- near their volume caps, the 25 percent allocation requirement has
- served as a barrier to the use of tax-exempt bonds to build such
- systems."
- -30-
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