12 2 STA T .4935PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 432 —O CT. 1 6, 200 8(7)Iflong-dista n ce t r ains w ere eli m inated ,23S tates and 2 4 3 comm u nities would b e left wit h no intercit yp assenger rail ser v ice and 16 other States would lose some rail service .T hese trains provide a strong economic benefit for the States and communities that they serve. ( 8 ) L ong-distance trains also provide transportation during periods of severe weather or emergencies that stall other modes of transportation. ( 9 ) A mtra k provided the only reliable long-distance transportation following the September 11, 2 0 01, terrorist attacks that grounded air travel. (10) The ma j ority of passengers on long-distance trains do not travel between the endpoints, but rather between any combination of cities along the route. (11) P assenger trains provide transportation options, mobility for underserved populations, congestion mitigation, and jobs in the areas they serve. (12) Passenger rail has a positive impact on the environ- ment compared to other modes of transportation by conserving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and cutting down on other airborne particulate and to x ic emissions. (13) Amtrak communities that are served use passenger rail and passenger rail stations as a significant source of eco- nomic development. (14) This division makes meaningful and important reforms to increase the efficiency, profitability and on-time performance of Amtrak ’ s long-distance routes. (b) S ENS E OFTH E C ON GR ESS. — It is the sense of the Congress that— (1) long-distance passenger rail is a vital and necessary part of our national transportation system and economy
and (2) Amtrak should maintain a national passenger rail system, including long-distance routes, that connects the conti- nental U nited States from coast to coast and from border to border. TI T LE III — I N TE RC IT YPAS SEN G ER RAIL P O LICY SEC.301 . C APIT A L ASSISTA N CE FOR INTERCIT Y PASSEN G ER RAIL SER V ICE. (a) IN G ENER AL .—Part C of subtitle V is amended by inserting the following after chapter 243
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‘ CHAPTER24 4 —IN TERCIT Y PA S SEN G ER RAI L SER V ICE C O RRI D OR CAPITAL ASSISTANCE ‘ ‘ Sec. ‘‘ 24 4 01 . D e fin i t i o n s . ‘‘24402. Cap ita l in v est m ent gr ants to s u pport intercit y passenger rail service. ‘‘2440 3 . P ro j ect management oversig h t. ‘‘24404. U se of capital grants to finance first -d ollar lia b ility of grant project. ‘‘2440 5 . G rant conditions. ‘‘2440 6 . A uthori z ation of appropriations. ‘‘ § 244 01. D efin i t i o n s‘ ‘In this chapter:
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