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March 25, 1992
Great news today from the Supreme Court. On a 6-3 vote, the high court overturned a lower court's ruling that Amtrak and the ICC acted improperly by condemning a piece of Guilford trackage in Vermont used by the Montrealer. Ruling for Amtrak were Rehnquist, Stevens, O'Connor, Kennedy, Scalia, and Souter. Dissenting were White, Blackmun, and Thomas. This important victory is expected to put Amtrak in a better bargaining position with the freight railroads when operating agreements expire in 1996. The Association of American Railroads had filed an amicus brief against Amtrak.
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.
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