Obama Builds Rail Cred With Biden Pick

Biden commutes to work each day on Amtrak and has been a strongsupporter of the beleaguered rail service. He is an originalco-sponsor of the Amtrak Reauthorization Bill (National Defense RailAct), S.104, introduced on January 7, 2003. Introducing an earlierversion of the bill with Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC) on March 6, 2002,Biden stated, "For 30 years, I have witnessed Congress dangling acarrot in front of Amtrak's eyes, funding it just enough for it to limpalong. And I'll tell you, this has to stop.  Now is the time to commitpolitically and financially to a strong, safe, and efficient passengerrail system." Biden has been particularly concerned with railpassenger security, and has, in the words of communications directorNorm Kurz "worked furiously" to secure funding for Amtrak to upgradeits tunnels, hire more cops and bomb-sniffing dogs, build more fences,and add lighting to terminals.

Amtrak president George Warrington presented Biden with a "Championof the Rails" award in June 2001 and the American Passenger RailCoalition (APRC), a national association of railroad equipmentsuppliers and rail businesses, presented him its "Rail LeadershipAward" in March 2002.