STAMFORD – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined Commissioner Jim Redeker of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and State Representative Terry Adams at the Stamford Train Station to applaud more than $1.4 billion of investments in Amtrak and rail safety along the Northeast Corridor. Murphy highlighted the current dire state of repair along Connecticut’s rail lines and outlined how the newly allotted funding will make rail travel safer and more reliable for Connecticut residents. As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, Murphy fought to ensure that the federal budget passed by Congress earlier this month includes $1.4 billion for Amtrak, which is an increase of $19 million from last year and includes a new $19 million fund dedicated to the Northeast Corridor.

“Congress just passed a federal budget that has in it a lot of good news for rail construction here in Connecticut,” said Murphy. “On the Appropriations Committee, I fought very hard to build into this budget a substantial increase for transportation funding and to break a string of budget cuts in the transportation account. Because of it, we’re getting $50 million to perform safety upgrades, and for the first time ever, we’re getting an account of $19 million dedicated just to the Northeast Corridor. It’s a foot in the door that will help us address the specific needs of Connecticut residents and commuters for a long time to come. Rail in Connecticut is the lifeblood of our economy, and I’d like to thank Commissioner Redeker and Representative Adams for their instrumental efforts in this fight.”

Murphy has been a vocal advocate on behalf of Connecticut’s transportation priorities, and recently  launched the new ‘Fed Up’ campaign to hear directly from Connecticut’s commuters how a more reliable commute could improve commerce, productivity, and quality of life for Connecticut commuters and residents.