FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:Michael Buckley
202/628-9262
Washington, D.C. . . . The following statement was issued today by Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), in response to a 93-6 vote in the U.S. Senate to reauthorize Amtrak.
“The growing needs of traveling Americans won today on the floor of the United States Senate.
“Today’s bipartisan vote is a clear and unequivocal endorsement of Amtrak and a strong national passenger rail system. Senators from both parties stood united in recognizing the indispensable role Amtrak plays in our nation.
“The overwhelming Senate vote reauthorizes a multi-year federal investment in Amtrak, giving the railroad and its employees renewed prospects of upgrading equipment and infrastructure, addressing overdue maintenance needs, and improving safety and security.
“Amtrak’s 20,000 workers have long dedicated themselves to the railroad and its passengers, sacrificing for years to keep the trains running even as Amtrak has careened from one financial crisis to the next. We hope that today’s Senate vote marks the beginning of a new and brighter future for passenger rail in this country.
“Transportation workers, the traveling public and cities nationwide owe a debt of gratitude to Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) for their leadership today.”
TTD represents 29 member unions in the rail, aviation, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit www.ttd.org.
