You Can
Help: 10 Things
You Can Do: Sample Letter to Senator or Congressman
Write a Letter to Your Senator or
Your Congressman
Dear [your Senator or Representative's name],
Maintaining our national security and our economic strength
depends on the ability to move large numbers of people and
goods both quickly and efficiently. Recent events have given
additional evidence that airports and highways cannot do it
alone.
Nine states have recognized the need for fast, frequent,
state-of-the-art trains. They have planned a network that
will link over 200 Midwestern cities and major hub airports.
I would like Congress to provide the same type of funding
for this rail network that Congress provides for the Interstate
Highway system. I hope that you will work to achieve the following
items in this session:
A) Stabilize Amtrak and create a moratorium on train discontinuance.
Demand for expanded rail service is growing; it would be very
shortsighted to allow any trains to cease running while work
continues on a federal policy.
B) Substantially increase federal rail funding. Three types
of funding are required:
- Short term funding to stabilize Amtrak.
- Immediate infrastructure funding for key projects.
- Long term funding. The highway, aviation and transit
development programs are successful, in large part, because
they have a steady, predictable and self-perpetuating funding
which facilitates long term planning. Passenger rail needs
a comparable funding stream to allow it to reach its transportation
potential.
C) Create a new federal agency devoted to creating rail policy,
managing funding and performing oversight functions.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[your name]
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