Support Rail for Iowa
By the Iowa Environmental Council
New Amtrak service to Des Moines, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities will require federal leadership. Two important new bills have been introduced in Congress to advance passenger rail nationwide. The first reauthorizes Amtrak and provides $14 billion over five years for intercity train operations and about $350 million per year in grants to states to improve rail service. The second provides $12 billion in new investments in high-speed rail.
Please ask your Member of Congress to co-sponsor this important legislation so that rail service in Iowa can be expanded.
Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): Your Congressperson
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Please expand rail service in Iowa
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
With gas prices approaching $4/gallon and skyrocketing airfares, Amercans need an affordable transportation alternative.
Passenger rail can provide this alternative while helping solve global warming. Current rail service produces 60% less global warming pollution than cars. High-speed rail service is 3 times as energy efficient as cars and 6 times as efficient as planes.
New rail service to Des Moines, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities requires federal leadership.
I therefore urge you to join as a co-sponsor of H.R. 6004 (“RIDE-21”) and H.R. 6005 (the “Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008”).
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