Senators seek to divert high-speed rail funding to roads

Received from Transportation for America (no surprise that climate change kook James Inhofe is one of the guilty parties):

Senator Kit Bond has proposed two amendments that would strip all funding in the stimulus from high-speed rail and move it into highway construction!

Meanwhile, Senator Jim Inhofe has an amendment of his own that would add $50 billion to a slush fund for road construction - a virtual blank check for the highway lobby!


Write your senators TODAY and urge them to vote against raiding transit and rail funding for a highways-only slush fund!


Imagine it: tens of billions with no strings attached - no language for accountability, no prioritization for repair, and no promise of clean energy solutions for the 21st Century.


Sen. Bond's amendments in particular would raid funding for the most innovative projects, leaving exciting new transit solutions like California's high-speed rail line on the cutting-room floor.

Last week, we made a huge impact on the House version of the economic recovery package. After receiving your letters and phone calls, members of Congress added $3 billion in transit investment to the bill.

Now we need to keep pushing on the other side of the Capitol. If we don't, the transit money could be overwhelmed by wasteful spending that serves the special interests rather than the public interest.

We need your help NOW. The Senate is deliberating on this TODAY!


Tell your senators: "No blank checks for highway construction!"


Thank you for your support at this critical time.


Sincerely,

Ilana Preuss
Outreach and Field Director
Transportation for America

if highways are ever built with the transit money, Bond and Inhofe might someday be by their side, in orange jumpsuits, picking up trash. :eyes:

edit: spelling