For reasonable people, the issues related to the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 are straightforward.
The problems:
1. The cost of gasoline and other fossil fuels is increasing at an unprecedented rate, devastating the American economy.
2. Climate change is already burdening the American economy, and cause increasing economic damage as time passes.
3. The outdated petroleum-based transportation developed in the previous century contributes to climate change
The solution:
1. Improvement and expansion of the American passenger rail system will reduce demand for fossil fuels and cut the carbon emissions that accelerate climate change.
The crux of the matter: Fossil fuels transportation systems are inefficient. Modern passenger rail transportation systems are efficient.
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, as its name implies, would begin a transition from reliance on out-of-date fossil fuels for transportation toward more efficient transportation by train. It’s exactly what we need to deal with America’s current economic and environmental problems.
For some bizarre reason, almost all of the Republicans in the House of Representatives oppose it. Yesterday, 186 Republicans tried to prevent the legislation from being considered for passage. These Republicans, once again, voted against economic efficiency. Their names are:
| Robert Aderholt Todd Akin Rodney Alexander Michelle Bachmann Spencer Bachus Gresham Barrett Roscoe Bartlett Joe Barton Judy Biggert Brian Bilbray Gus Bilirakis Rob Bishop Marsha Blackburn Roy Blunt John Boehner Jo Bonner Mary Bono John Boozman Charles Boustany Kevin Brady |
Paul Broun Henry Brown Ginny Brown-Waite Vern Buchanan Michael Burgess Dan Burton Steve Buyer Ken Calvert David Camp John Campbell Chris Cannon Eric Cantor Shelley Capito John Carter Steve Chabot Howard Coble Tom Cole Michael Conaway Ander Crenshaw John Culberson |
| David Davis Geoff Davis Mario Diaz-Balart Lincoln Diaz-Balart John Doolittle Thelma Drake John Duncan Vernon Ehlers Jo Ann Emerson Phil English Terry Everett Mary Fallin Tom Feeney Jeff Flake Randy Forbes Jeff Fortenberry Virginia Foxx Trent Franks |
Rodney Frelinghuysen Elton Gallegly Scott Garrett Jim Gerlach Wayne Gilchrest Phil Gingrey Virgil Goode Bob Goodlatte Kay Granger Sam Graves Ralph Hall Doc Hastings Robin Hayes Dean Heller Jeb Hensarling Baron Hill David Hobson Peter Hoekstra Bob Inglis Darrell Issa |
| Sam Johnson Timothy Johnson Walter Jones Jim Jordan Ric Keller Steve King Peter King Jack Kingston Mark Kirk John Kline Joseph Knollenberg Randy Kuhl Ray LaHood Doug Lamborn Tom Latham Steven LaTourette Bob Latta Ron Lewis Jerry Lewis John Linder Frank LoBiondo |
Frank Lucas Dan Lungren Donald Manzullo Kevin McCarthy Michael McCaul Thaddeus McCotter Patrick McHenry John McHugh Howard McKeon Cathy McMorris Rodgers John Mica Jeff Miller Gary Miller Candice Miller Jerry Moran Tim Murphy Marilyn Musgrave Sue Myrick Randy Neugebauer |
| Devin Nunes Ron Paul Stevan Pearce Mike Pence John Peterson Thomas Petri Charles Pickering Joseph Pitts Todd Platts Ted Poe Jon Porter Tom Price Deborah Pryce Adam Putnam George Radanovich Jim Ramstad Ralph Regula Dennis Rehberg David Reichert Rick Renzi |
Tom Reynolds Harold Rogers Mike Rogers Michael Rogers Dana Rohrabacher Peter Roskam Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Edward Royce Paul Ryan Bill Sali Jim Saxton Steve Scalise Jean Schmidt James Sensenbrenner Peter Sessions John Shadegg Christopher Shays John Shimkus Bill Shuster Michael Simpson Adrian Smith |
| Christopher Smith Lamar Smith Mark Souder Cliff Stearns John Sullivan Lee Terry Mac Thornberry Todd Tiahrt Patrick Tiberi Michael Turner |
Fred Upton Tim Walberg Greg Walden James Walsh Zach Wamp David Weldon Jerry Weller Lynn Westmoreland Ed Whitfield Heather Wilson Rob Wittman Frank Wolf C.W. Bill Young |
