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E764 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 10, 2002 But what about its 40 time? hey, we’re with you guys, we’re not aban- In the winter of 1997, Congress withheld ‘‘That’s a great question,’’ Bettis said. ‘‘I doning you guys, we’re living it with you’’ $2.2 billion from Amtrak, that had already should have asked.’’ ‘‘So many times, you never get the appre- been promised. Eventually, Congress allo- No one’s asking Bettis about his own time ciation. I wanted to say thank you, we appre- cated the money to Amtrak, with the stipu- in the 40 lately. He resumed running only ciate you for what you’re doing for us.’’ lation that Amtrak achieve self-sufficiency last week for the first time since he gained by 2002. It is now 2002, and Amtrak has yet to 8 yards on 9 carries in the Steelers’ 24–17 [From the Stars and Stripes, Apr. 26, 2002] attain self-sufficiency, and several congres- AFC championship loss to the New England sional leaders, as well as the Amtrak Reform NFL GOES LONG ON PROMISE TO DONATE Patriots at Heinz Field. Bettis missed the Council, are calling for the privatization. In GEAR TO MILITARY previous six games with a groin injury. the following minutes, I will explain to what (By Kevin Dougherty) It has left some people questioning wheth- the failures of achieving self-sufficiency can er he can keep going as he enters his 10th WIESBADEN, GERMANY.—People often make be attributed, and why such a radical idea NFL season after celebrating his 30th birth- promises, and a good number of them honor such as privatization is unnecessary for Am- day. He was leading the NFL with 1,072 yards the pledges. But enough, more than enough, trak. in the 11th game—and climbed to 12th on the don’t. First, the costs to run Amtrak are astro- all-time list with 10,876 yards—when he was So when NFL commissioner Paul nomical. It costs $3 million a year to main- hurt. Tagliabue said during a visit last month to a tain stations, tunnels and rails at oper- U.S. Army base in Germany that he wanted Let there be doubters, Bettis said from ational conditions. Since 1997, there has been ‘‘to do something for these people,’’ folks Germany. a $5.8 billion backlog in work, in yards, smiled, nodded and didn’t dwell on it for too ‘‘It’ll be 10 years this year; I don’t think I equipment and technology. Also, Amtrak have to prove anything,’’ Bettis said. ‘‘I just long. Roughly two weeks later, Gail Camillo, pays $400 million to $600 million a year to need to be 100 percent healthy, go out there USO-Europe’s regional director, got a call freight rail companies to use their tracks and duplicate what I did last year. Every- from the commissioner’s office. The mes- outside of the northeast corridor. body knows what I’m capable of. I’m not sage: Huddle together and figure out how The funds Amtrak needs are $20 billion to really worried about that at all.’’ many pigskins and how much flag football repair the century-and-a-half old East River ‘‘I’m used to that. Going into every season, equipment you think you need. and Hudson River tunnels that enter into the questions have always been about me, ‘‘This shows where their heart is, and that Penn Station. Also, several billion dollars to and I’ve always proved everybody wrong, I’m they appreciate us,’’ Army Sgt. Major Ed- implement the security systems necessary not really concerned about it. If people are ward Faust said Thursday, as Tagliabue after September 11th. And also, in the fiscal concerned about me and my ability to go out worked his way to a podium for a ceremonial year of 2003, Amtrak needs $1.2 billion to op- there and play, they just need to check my handoff of gridiron equipment. erate long-distance trains along with other track record. This is something I’ve been Military communities throughout Ger- routes. doing a long time.’’ many scored big Thursday when the NFL do- Now the money Amtrak is actually given Bettis has never failed to reach 1,000 yards nated 1,405 footballs to unit, youth services over their 31 years history is trifling com- in his six seasons with the Steelers and and DODDS football teams and programs. In pared to the money that government doles missed it only once in his three with the addition to the footballs, the league donated out to airports and roads in a singular year. Rams. Until last season, he had missed only 8,825 pairs of flags for flag football and 5,224 Over 30 years, Amtrak has been given a total three games in his career. He is the NFL’s cones to mark boundaries or for use in drills. of $23 billion. last year Amtrak got $560 mil- second-leading rusher behind Emmitt Smith The equipment is going to be distributed to lion, compared to 13 billion for airports and of Dallas, and he could reasonably become Army and Air Force installations across Eu- 33 billion for roads. Airlines received massive the NFL’s ninth-leading rusher by the end of rope. The USO will pass the goods to unit bailouts after September 11th. Amtrak was the season. He needs just 361 yards to surpass level football teams, youth services given only a token $100 million for security. O.J. Simpson. leagues—flag as well as tackle—and to De- Amtrak right now is caught in catch-22. It Bettis overcame a more serious groin in- partment of Defense Dependents Schools. needs money to fix rails and crumbling infra- jury at the end of the 1996 season and came In all, 664 teams will benefit from the gift. structure, but Congress won’t give money to back to have his career high in 1997 with ‘‘Any donation like this really helps us out something they don’t think will be around in 1,665 yards. But then, he was 25. as far as the bottom line,’’ said Air Force a few years. Therefore, the following hap- ‘‘Yeah, it’s an injury that I’ve had to scrap Col. Al Swain, the director of staff for U.S. pens. Even though new trains, such as the and battle back from’’ Bettis said, ‘‘Fortu- Air Forces in Europe. Excel Express, are running, old rails only nately for me, I’ve had the time to get Tagliabue made the presentation at the allow it to run at top speed for 18 miles of healthy. And so, that’s what I’m doing. Wiesbaden Army Airfield, the site of his the 452-mile run from Boston to DC. Amtrak March visit. He was joined by Pittsburgh There’s no reason to rush back and jump could be making money if the 2001 High- Steelers running back Jerome Bettis. Ten- back on the field for nothing. We don’t play Speed Rail Initiative had not been killed in nessee Titans running back Eddie George is a game until September, so I don’t plan to be Congress. And also, a bill allowing for tax- scheduled to catch up with the group Friday, doing that much crazy stuff until training exempt bonds, and loan guarantees for con- which will conduct visits with troops in camp.’’ struction was pushed through the House and Kaiserslautern, Hanau, Landstuhl and Bettis was heading for another 350-carry Senate. Baumbolder. Their tour includes a morning season when he was hurt. He had 375 carries Also, there is a severe philosophical and stop at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Cen- in 1997 and 355 in 2000, his two highest. Those policy planning issue in Washington, DC ter and a meeting with troops injured in Op- days might be over. The Steelers would like right now. Though several national agencies eration Enduring Freedom. are involved, none has ever set a policy path to boost the number of times Amos Zereoue ‘‘So long as you are on the front lines,’’ runs with the ball. Bettis welcomes it. Tagliabue said, ‘‘we in the NFL will make for Amtrak. Second, Amtrak has never had a ‘‘That would be a great opportunity to in- sure you remain on the front page.’’ dedicated source of funding that they could crease this offense,’’ Bettis said. ‘‘It’s all build around. Also, Congress expects Amtrak about the team at this point. Hopefully, he f to make a profit, while history clearly indi- will get opportunities. When I was in there cates the exact opposite. Passenger rail was [last year], he was getting more and more STUDENT CONGRESSIONAL TOWN never a moneymaker. Even the New York opportunities. I don’t think anything’s going MEETING Central in its heyday, with the Twentieth to change.’’ Century Limited, lost money on each pas- ‘‘I encourage that, plus it helps me out. I HON. BERNARD SANDERS senger per mile. Even the European high- don’t have to take it 30, 35 times. The old OF VERMONT speed lines, which are heralded as blueprints man can’t do that all the time anymore. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES for privatization, are money-losers. Thus, it That was the plan last year, and it was work- would be ludicrous for Amtrak, which suffers ing. Unfortunately, I just didn’t hold up my Thursday, May 9, 2002 from a fundamental problem—underinvest- part of the deal.’’ Mr. SANDERS. Mr.