Lawmakers’ bill would fund ‘high-performance’ passenger-rail projects

U.S. Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. James McGovern, all Massachusetts Democrats, yesterday announced the reintroduction of legislation that would authorize $5 billion annually, for a total of $25 billion over five years, to invest in high-performance passenger-rail projects that offer service to unconnected and under-connected communities.

Dubbed the Building Rail Across Intercity Networks To Ride Around Interior of the Nation (BRAIN TRAIN) Act, the bill would dedicated the resources required to build a passenger-rail network worth of the 21st century, the lawmakers said in a press release.

“Passenger rail is an essential ingredient for a healthy economy, a healthy environment, and a healthy workforce,” said Markey in the release. “That’s why President Biden’s American Jobs Plan rightfully calls for a massive expansion of rail across the United States. As we now flesh out the details and put together a comprehensive infrastructure package, we must ensure that we are building a passenger rail system that works for not just the megacities, but also for our Gateway cities and the smaller communities too often left behind by the modern economy.”

The text of the bill can be read here.