Rep. Moulton proposing high-speed rail plan he says would create ‘at least’ 2.6 million jobs

A Massachusetts representative introduced a bill to Congress last week that would invest billions into a national high-speed rail system, saying the move would create millions of jobs and provide safer, more sustainable transportation. 

Reps. Seth Moulton (MA-06) and Suzan Delbene (WA-01) proposed the American High Speed Rail Act to the House of Representatives March 8. The bill would invest $205 billion federal dollars into high-speed rail, creating what Moulton said would be at least 2.6 million jobs and providing a new travel option that is “safer than driving, cleaner than flying, and rarely delayed by weather,” Moulton’s office said in a press release Sunday.

The plan would provide $41 billion in annual federal funding to the development of high-speed rail for five years and provide incentives for at least $38 billion in non-federal funding. It would prioritize grants for areas “not serviced by the aviation industry,” according to the press release. 

Moulton initially discussed the plan in a 30-page report in 2020. 

Over 20 countries, mostly in Europe and Asia, have implemented high-speed lines. But in the U.S., similar projects have stalled for decades. 

“High-speed rail is faster, cleaner, safer, and better for our economy,” Moulton said in a statement. “It will connect people to more jobs in new places, give Americans freedom and choice in how they travel, and put us on par with the rest of the world.”

The system would help travelers avoid weather disruptions and delays and reduce the strain on highway and aviation networks, Moulton’s office said in the release. 

“We spend vast amounts of money subsidizing planes, which are delayed by weather, and roads, which are crumbling nationwide,” Moulton said.

The congressman was one of the first elected officials in the state to endorse the North South Rail link, a plan that would connect rail lines in Boston. 

In December, President Joe Biden announced the federal government awarded $8.2 billion for 10 passenger rail projects across the country. 

More than 25 members of the House joined Moulton as original sponsors of the bill, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Jake Auchincloss (D-MA).

 “We have the chance to think big and think differently,” Moulton said. “Let’s not waste the opportunity.”