Subject: FW: Secretary LaHood statement on Mica proposal
From: "Hoffman, Alan L." <[email-masked]>
To: "Hunter Biden" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:20:20 -0400

From: Gavin, Tom
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 11:14 AM
To: Greenawalt, Andrei; Tseggai, Gannet; Hoffman, Alan L.; Briggs, Xavier
Subject: FW: Secretary LaHood statement on Mica proposal

Below is the draft comment that DOT would issue if asked about the Mica Amtrak bill.

Let me know if you have changes.

From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 10:52 AM
To: Gavin, Tom
Subject: Secretary LaHood statement on Mica proposal

Hey Tom -- Let me know what you think of this statement from Secretary LaHood on Mica's proposal on Amtrak tomorrow. Everyone over here at DOT is good with it. Our current plan is just to provide it on request to reporters:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Statement on Mica Proposal

"Chairman Mica and I share a strong interest in high speed rail, particularly in the Northeast Corridor.  He should be commended for giving this topic the attention it deserves.

"However, while we have not reviewed the Mica proposal in detail we have many questions about its feasibility.  At present, the administration believes Amtrak is the entity most capable of taking the next steps to modernize rail service in the Northeast Corridor. The administration also has the responsibility to ensure that taxpayer investments are protected and well-managed.

"With 50 million people in the corridor and another 20 million coming over the next generation, the Northeast Corridor can and should be one of the top high speed rail corridors in the world.  I look forward to working with Chairman Mica to make that happen.