Washington, DC — Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, issues this statement praising the decision by the California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) to shelve Buy America waivers and maximize U.S. job creation:
“I am extremely pleased that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) has chosen to withdraw its Buy America waiver request for certain components of its high speed trainsets. With this announcement CAHSRA has reinforced its commitment to maximizing American job creation and ensuring this historic infrastructure project provides the greatest possible economic impact in the U.S. I look forward to working further with CAHSRA to develop a comprehensive U.S. Employment Plan as part of its trainset procurement — further enhancing the economic benefits of the project. I want to thank Congressman John Garamendi and his colleagues in the House for their tireless work in support of domestic transportation manufacturing, and for insisting that California’s modern high speed rail network is truly Made in America.
“California high speed rail is one of the most important and forward-looking infrastructure projects underway in this country. We have been proud to support this project and defend it against political attacks by opponents in the state and in Washington, D.C. We will continue the fight to ensure that this project moves forward, is fully funded and achieves important benchmarks in domestic content and middle-class job creation.”