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Critical Metro Funding Legislation Wins Final Approval in Senate

October 1, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., ranking member and former chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Majority Leader of the House, and Senator Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., said today they were pleased the U.S. Senate approved legislation that will, for the first time, bring dedicated funding to the Washington area's Metro transit system.

The Senate approved H.R. 2095, the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act, which included the Metro bill. Originally introduced as the National Capital Transportation Amendments Act (H.R. 401), the legislation authorizes $1.5 billion in federal funds for Metro, which can be used for capital and preventive maintenance projects, an imperative to address the 103-mile system's aging infrastructure.  The legislation also shores up management of the system by codifying the Inspector General position and putting four federal representatives on the board - two voting, two non-voting - to represent the interests of the federal government.

Perhaps most significantly, the legislation requires that Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia formally dedicate funding to the system before it receives the new federal money. Metro is the only major transit system in the country without dedicated funding. This would end its yearly journeys to the jurisdictions to beg for money to run a system on which nearly 300,000 depend each day. It also expands wireless service options for Metro passengers.

"This could not come at a better time," said Davis, who will retire from Congress at the end of this term. "As we have learned in recent weeks, Metro is in dire need of both an infusion of funding and adult oversight. Train cars and buses must be replaced. Platforms are crumbling. Other facilities need immediate attention. We need to stabilize the future of Metro, and this goes a long way toward addressing its long-term needs."

"The Washington Area Metro system is a critical national and regional asset that serves area residents, employees of the federal government and millions of annual visitors to the Nation's Capital," stated Rep. Hoyer. "Securing a federal investment to ensure the safety and efficiency of this system is long overdue. This is a significant victory for the region and the nation."

Congressmen Davis and Hoyer also thanked partners in the Senate, particularly Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., for their leadership and invaluable assistance in getting this passed.

"Metro is back on track. Today we have taken a giant leap forward in securing dedicated funding for Metro so that it can meet the needs of the federal government, the millions of tourists who visit our Nation's Capital, and the businesses that rely on the country's second-busiest rapid transit system.  This is good for our region and good for our nation," said Senator Cardin. "Metro has been integral to the daily movements of the federal workforce and the economic health of our region. But it has been the only major public transportation system in the country without a dedicated source of funding. I am pleased that we were able to put ideology aside to renew and maintain such a vital asset." 

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