{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://stanton.house.gov/2023/6/stanton-works-to-return-long-distance-amtrak-service-to-phoenix", "Stanton Works to Return Long-Distance Amtrak Service to Phoenix", "2023-06-06", "2023", "2023-06", "Democrat", "House", "AZ", "Greg Stanton", "S001211", "stanton.house.gov", "stanton", "https://stanton.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Rep. Greg Stanton spoke in support of Amtrak\u2019s application to use approximately $716 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for various projects around the country\u2014including bringing long-distance passenger rail service back to Phoenix for the first time since 1996.\n\n\u201cPhoenix is the largest city in the United States without access to passenger rail service,\u201d Stanton said at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing Tuesday on Amtrak operations. \u201cAs other communities have gained access to passenger rail, they\u2019ve experienced significant new economic opportunities. But Arizona has missed out.\u201d\n\nStanton said returning passenger service to Phoenix would provide \u201copportunity to connect our communities, make them more accessible and productive, and more internationally competitive. Opportunity to boost our regional economies with better access to jobs and more private investment along the route. Opportunity to ease congestion along Interstate 10 and help reduce air pollution.\u201d\n\nIn response to Stanton\u2019s questioning, Amtrak\u2019s Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gardner noted the \u201cvery strong local, bipartisan support for bringing service back\u201d to Phoenix, and said it is \u201cfrankly an embarrassment that we don\u2019t serve such a major, prominent city.\u201d\n\nAmtrak\u2019sapplications were submitted Monday through two Federal Railroad Administration programs funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program funding opportunity for projects outside the Northeast Corridor and the Corridor Identification and Development Program (Corridor ID Program).\n\nStanton also noted that the Arizona Department of Transportation has submitted a proposal to the Corridor ID program to advance the project, and has provided $3.5 million in state funds for the planning effort.\n\nVideo of Stanton\u2019s questioning is availableHERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://stanton.house.gov/2023/6/stanton-works-to-return-long-distance-amtrak-service-to-phoenix"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6353508215397596, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}