AMENDMENT NO. 8 OFFERED BY MR. PATRICK J. MURPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Video: For Commuters in Lower Bucks County and NE Philly, Murphy Introduces Amendment to Boost Ridership at Cornwells Heights. (6/11/08)

Mr. Chairman, families across the country are facing record gas prices and increased congestion on our roadways. We hear it every time we go home. And as Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to do what we can do to make things better. This amendment is about making sure that our public transportation resources are being used as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Through this measure, we require Amtrak to take a hard look at passenger rail service at two important rail stations in our districts. Our hope is that they will find a way to help commuters and rail passengers in our districts by either expanding passenger rail service through increasing the frequency of stops or by reducing prices.

For years, the Cornwells Heights and Princeton Junction stations have been hubs for commuters who work in New York City. Amtrak then cut the number of trains at these stations in half. Then they increased prices for our commuters.

Mr. Chairman, countless families rely on the Cornwells Heights and Princeton Junction stations, and as a result of Amtrak's train cuts and fare hikes, families have been forced to drive longer distances or pay much higher fares. Today, our region is making economic progress, and Amtrak has a chance to keep moving us forward.

Mr. Chairman, in these troubled times, our local economy can't afford to take anymore hits and we can't allow commuters to use more time on crowded highways when they could be home with their families.

Mr. Chairman, it now costs a Cornwells Heights commuter $972 per month just to get to work and back. More importantly, the cuts in service have put more cars on our clogged highways, more exhaust fumes in the air, and forced our hardworking constituents to spend more time getting to and from work and less time at home. That means more time on a train or in traffic and less time at home with the ones that they love.

Mr. Chairman, our region is experiencing the economic revitalization. Increased rail service and more riders means progress, while more cuts means going backwards. I would like to thank the chairman, Chairman Oberstar. I would like to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania, Mr. Shuster. I would like to thank my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Holt, and also my other colleague from Pennsylvania, Ms. Schwartz, for their support on this important measure.