Remove the budget rider which blocks TxDOT from engaging in safety and engineering oversight of a high speed rail project
Why is this important?
A Texas company has proposed building a high speed rail line linking Dallas and Houston using no public funding, but opponents succeeded in adding a "rider" to the state budget which would prohibit the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) from even engaging in safety and engineering oversight of the project. That oversight is required, so the rider would effectively kill the high speed rail line.
High speed rail will help take cars off the road, reducing pollution and traffic, and provide an alternative for travelers. The state should be expediting the project, not putting up barriers. The budget conference committee should remove the rider from the final budget and let plans for high speed rail proceed.
