House Proceeding on Jun 11th, 2008 :: 3:18:41 to 3:21:28
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3:15:52 to 3:18:41( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Rosa L. DeLauro

3:18:25 to 3:18:41( Edit History Discussion )

Rosa L. DeLauro: will control five minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. sessions: thank you, mr. chairman. mr. chairman, my amendment is simple, straightforward, and fiscally responsible.

3:18:41 to 3:18:56( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: it would prevent any taxpayer funds from being wasted on operating amtrak's worse performing long distance route. under this amendment which is supported by citizens against government waste, americans

3:18:41 to 3:21:28( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Patrick Murphy

3:18:56 to 3:19:11( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: for tax reform, and the national taxpayer union, the determination about what constitutes amtrak's most wasteful route will not be a political one be made by congress. it will instead be

3:19:11 to 3:19:26( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: determined by amtrak's own most recent monthly report and it will not take effect if the secretary of transportation determines that the line is critical to homeland security. amtrak's most

3:19:26 to 3:19:43( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: recent performance report produced in march, 2008, lists the sunset limited as amtrak's worst performing long distance route and for the few lucky people who actually buy a ticket on this route,

3:19:43 to 3:20:03( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: this journey constitutes a 48-hour ordeal from new orleans, louisiana, to los angeles, california. amtrak's report indicates that this route had an astonishing loss of 26.3 cents per seat

3:20:03 to 3:20:17( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: mile which is unsurprising given the length of the trip coupled with the lowest ridership of all of amtrak's long distance lines. right before i came to the house floor today i went to amtrak's

3:20:17 to 3:20:32( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: website and looked up how much a roundtrip ticket on this line would be. the answer an astonishing $522. for the purpose of comparison a bus ticket for a similar trip leavingn and returning the exact

3:20:32 to 3:20:44( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: same days it would cost only $366. and riding the bus would take 19 fewer hours to complete the trip. back in 1997 congress passed the amtrak reform and accountability act which required that amtrak

3:20:44 to 3:21:00( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: operate without any federal operating assistance after 2002. despite this decade old commonsense requirement that amtrak cease their fiscal irresponsibility and mismanagement without my

3:21:00 to 3:21:14( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: amendment today's bill would constitute and continue to waste taxpayer money by forcing american families to subsidize amtrak's worst line. amtrak's net loss in 2007 was over $1.12 billion, an

3:21:14 to 3:21:28( Edit History Discussion )

Patrick Murphy: increase of 5% over last year. in march of 2008 alone, amtrak's net loss was $96 million. these awful performance figures prove that the time has come to restore common sense, fiscal responsibility

3:21:28 to 3:21:41( Edit History Discussion )

Rush D. Holt: at amtrak and that the time has come to at least take a small step in helping taxpayers' hard-earned money not to be used on long, expensive routes with low ridership. this amendment simply

3:21:28 to 3:24:06( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Rush D. Holt