East Central Texas News

On December 8th, Congressman Ellzey expressed his opposition to the Federal Railroad Administration's grant of over $2.1 billion to Amtrak and its partners for the expansion of Amtrak services across the United States. The grant includes a $500,000 study grant for the proposed Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor in partnership with Texas Central Railway.

In a statement, Congressman Ellzey voiced his concerns about the project, particularly the use of eminent domain powers and the impact on the 6th district of Texas. He stated, "I will never support private companies abusing eminent domain powers for land grab projects like this, especially in the 6th district of Texas." He emphasized his intention to seek answers regarding the foreign funding and ridership projections of the project from Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, and Texas Central.

Congressman Ellzey further highlighted the broader implications of the project, stating, "This project does not only impact rural Texas but all of the United States. In a time of a global food shortage, we cannot allow our farmland to be destroyed, and taxpayer dollars squandered for an unsustainable and unnecessary project like this."

The proposed Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor aims to connect Dallas and Houston by cutting through farmland and homes in Texas. The project has received backing from a Japanese-funded company.

Congressman Ellzey's opposition to the project reflects concerns about the potential misuse of eminent domain powers and the negative impact on farmland. He is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability from all parties involved.

For more information, the full statement from Congressman Ellzey can be found on his official website.

To find out more, go to this link: https://ellzey.house.gov/2023/12/congressman-ellzey-statement-on-federal-railroad-commission-grant-for-amtrak-and-texas-central