Senator Rosen Led Efforts In Congress To Secure Funding From The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law That She Helped Write To Make This Project A Reality
Project Will Bolster Tourism, Create 35,000 Good-Paying Jobs, Ease Traffic On Interstate-15, And Reduce More Than 400,000 Tons Of Carbon Emissions Each Year
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that, after months of pushing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Biden Administration, she secured $3 billion to begin construction of the Brightline West high-speed rail system in Las Vegas. This funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senator Rosen played a leading role to write and pass. This project will connect Las Vegas and Southern California, which will help bolster Southern Nevada’s tourism economy and reduce congestion on the Interstate-15 corridor. Brightline West estimates it will remove 3 million cars from I-15 annually, reducing more than 400,000 tons of carbon emissions each year, and creating 35,000 good-paying, union jobs.
For months, Senator Rosen led the efforts in Congress to make this project a reality. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to stand ready to receive the Nevada Department of Transportation’s application for funding to build Brightline West. After this application was submitted, she led a bipartisan group of colleagues in voicing their strong support of the project. In August, she led a press conference in Las Vegas with Brightline CEO Michael Reininger, Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, Nevada Department of Transportation Director Tracy Larkin Thomason, President and CEO of the Vegas Chamber Mary Beth Sewald, and President of the Transportation Trades Department for the AFL-CIO Greg Regan to call on DOT to approve the application to build Brightline West and provide the funding. In March, she applauded the news that the Southern Nevada Building Trades had reached an agreement with Brightline to ensure this high-speed rail system would be constructed with union labor. Throughout the process, Senator Rosen has been in regular contact with Administration officials and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, urging them to approve this funding for the Brightline West project.
“This historic high-speed rail project will be a game changer for Nevada’s tourism economy and transportation. It’ll bring more visitors to our state, reduce traffic on the I-15, create thousands of good paying jobs, and decrease carbon emissions, all while relying on local union labor,” said Senator Rosen. “For decades, Nevadans have heard about the benefits of high-speed rail, and I’m proud to have led the charge for months to push the U.S. Department of Transportation to secure critical funding to make this a reality. I’ll always fight to support Nevada’s tourism economy and create good-paying, union jobs.”
Senator Rosen, chair of the Senate subcommittee overseeing tourism, has been a champion for Nevada’s travel and tourism economy. Earlier this year, she hosted a field hearing in Las Vegas that examined ways to attract large sporting and entertainment events to the U.S., with a focus on Las Vegas’ experience, and the impacts that sporting and live entertainment events have on the local economy. Last year, Senator Rosen passed the bipartisan Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act to boost the travel and tourism industry.
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