Pallone Demands Answers from Amtrak Following Electrical Malfunction
Pallone Represents Impacted Constituents Along the North Jersey Coast Rail Line
Long Branch, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today sent a letter to Amtrak demanding answers following the electrical malfunction that left thousands of New Jerseyans stranded on their evening commute Wednesday night. In the letter, Pallone highlighted the enormous federal investments Congress passed so that Amtrak can deliver reliable train service up and down the Northeast Corridor.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized $36 billion over five years for the Federal Railroad Administration Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail program, including $24 billion specifically for the Northeast Corridor modernization. Congress also passed over $2.4 billion for Amtrak in a federal spending bill this year to support immediate upgrades to rail infrastructure.
“Amtrak must do more to improve the performance of our IPR systems by using the funding Congress made available for its intended purpose: a safe, reliable transportation system. I urge you to specifically focus your attention and funding on the Northeast Corridor to ensure a commuter network serving thousands of Americans a day is not impacted by further delays like we saw this week,” Pallone wrote. “Congress delivered on its commitment to passing historic investments to help fix our nation’s broken infrastructure, including billions of dollars for Amtrak and Amtrak’s partners. It’s past time Amtrak targeted these investments to ensure reliable service New Jersey families deserve.”
A copy of the letter is available HERE.