Sooners split on rail measure
The Tulsa World
by: JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Saturday, July 25, 2009
7/25/2009 4:32:32 AM
WASHINGTON
— Oklahomans in the U.S. House split their votes on whether to keep
annual funding for high-speed rail projects at the level proposed by
the Obama administration or to boost it by $3 billion.
Republican Reps. Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and Mary Fallin voted this week
to cut the funding level included in an annual spending bill, while
Republican Rep. John Sullivan and Democratic Rep. Dan Boren voted to
keep it.
The amendment to reduce the annual funding from $4 billion to $1 billion failed by a vote of 136 to 284.
Earlier this month, Oklahoma took an initial step to apply for
funding for a high-speed rail that, if successful, could return
passenger service to Tulsa.
A cost estimate for that project has been put at just less than $2 billion.
"The stimulus package passed in February of this year already
increased funding for high-speed rail by $8 billion," Lucas said.
"While I have always supported the expansion of high-speed rail in this
country, I believe this is a sufficient amount of funding for this
endeavor at this time."
Cole said he supported the amendment to reduce the funding
level to the amount suggested by the administration because federal
spending is out of control.
"This is the biggest-spending president in the history of the
country," he said. "So an initiative that spends $3 billion more than
he requested surely ought to be trimmed back."
Cole expressed support for the concept of investing in
high-speed rail infrastructure, but he added that perhaps it should not
be viewed as a major national priority, given the current economic
circumstances and the explosion of government red ink.
Fallin cited the current deficiency in the Highway Trust Fund,
adding that it needs to be addressed to maintain existing highways.
"Right now, that is the most responsible investment of taxpayer money," she said.
"I support bringing high-speed rail to Oklahoma when it makes economic sense to invest in it."
Rep. John Olver, D-Mass., who managed the huge spending bill
that included the rail money, said the additional funding was needed to
keep the momentum going for high-speed rail.
Olver described the new push for rail in the United States as
the most important transportation initiative since the Eisenhower
Interstate Highway System.
Preapplication requests already submitted for projects total $100 billion, he said.
"If we do not add significantly to that, as this bill does do,
by adding $4 billion to the $8 billion that is already there, then
people will lose faith or wonder, 'Are we in this seriously?' " Olver
said.
The spending bill, which would provide money for transportation and other areas, passed the House.
Posted on Sat, July 25, 2009
by Crystal Drwenski