High-speed rail is headed straight for a deathblow, but federal lawmakers could do something about it
Written by RT&S Staff
Texas Central now finds itself dealing with the Texas Supreme Court over the definition of its company.
Texas Central
Both the House and Senate agree that more federal funding needs to be devoted to high-speed rail in the next long-term infrastructure bill.
The House, however, wants to keep the funding exclusive, which is bad news for private clubs.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee followed the lead set by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by setting aside billions of dollars for high-speed rail projects in the Senate’s long-term infrastructure bill. The Senate committee then took it one step further by allowing private campaigns to be eligible for federal funding.
The House originally said no to the move, but now there is an amendment from Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) that would allow the private benefit. Titus is working with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) to work in provisions from her measure in a manager’s amendment before the bill goes before the House for a vote.
Federal and state government failure has led to a cry for more private investment in high-speed rail. California has had nothing but problems with the high-speed rail line that is supposed to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles. The struggles led California Treasurer Fiona Ma to write a letter to lawmakers urging them to allow public-private partnerships in the development of high-speed rail. Ma went as far to say that a repeat effort of the California high-speed rail line would be the death of high-speed rail in the U.S.
Read more articles on passenger rail.
