Congressman Garamendi, Author of First High Speed Rail Act in California, on Today’s DOT High Speed Rail Announcement

LIVERMORE, CA – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA) today issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the Department of Transportation that California will receive $2.25 billion for high speed rail from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

"In 1989, I co-authored legislation with then-Assemblymember Jim Costa to launch high speed rail service in California. 20 years later our dream is becoming closer to a reality. The President’s announcement that California will get $2.25 billion is a great first step for a program that I will continue to fight hard for in Congress in the months and years ahead. Not only does this program create well paying jobs today, it will also change the way Californians live and work in the future by putting our state on the cutting edge of transportation technology."