Good morning. I’m very proud to be here to join my colleagues in announcing this truly historic agreement between the Commonwealth and CSX.

The positive impact this increased passenger service will have on the greater Worcester area, MetroWest and the South Coast can not be easily quantified but please believe me – as the Congressman for Worcester AND Fall River – this is immense.

For a very long time the economic future of many of our older, industrial, gateway cities has hinged on increasing public transportation for people working in the Boston metropolitan area.

And as a direct result of this negotiated agreement with CSX, the economic future for those cities got a whole lot brighter today.

The five (5) additional trains that will soon run between Worcester and Boston as a result of this agreement will not only expand options for commuters, but it will also soon help to reinvigorate the local economy and the housing market here in Central Massachusetts.

Smaller cities and communities in MetroWest, such as Marlborough and Westborough, will also benefit greatly from this enhanced service.

This is truly an agreement that all parties can be proud of.

As has been mentioned, it is the product of a long and - at times – difficult negotiation.

The challenge to meet the growing public demand for increased passenger rail service while preserving the competitive position of the freight rail industry in Massachusetts is no small task.

For almost as long as I’ve been in Congress, we have tried and tried to find a way to strike that balance and master that task.

The difference this time frankly has been the Task Masters; Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray.

The Patrick-Murray Administration has succeeded here where others have failed, and they are to be congratulated for this extraordinary achievement.

From the very first day they took office, they have demonstrated both by word and deed that they are committed to improving public transportation in this state and to rebuilding our infrastructure.

The dogged, determined and persistent leadership of our Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray is as much responsible for this agreement as anything.

Aided by Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen, Undersecretary Jeff Mullan and a talented team of dedicated public professionals, the Lieutenant Governor was personally responsible for directing these complicated negotiations.

He brought to the table not only a firm grasp of the rail service issues from his years as Mayor of Worcester, but also the kind of fervent devotion to the larger cause that only comes from knowing personally what this deal will mean to the people of his hometown of Worcester and other cities like Fall River and New Bedford.

I have been proud of my friend Tim Murray on countless occasions both before and since becoming Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth. However, the agreement we celebrate today stands apart in an already remarkable young career in public service.

On behalf of all of us here today and across the Commonwealth, thank you Tim Murray.

I also want to publicly acknowledge the extraordinary contributions of Senator Kerry to this effort.

In the most difficult days of these negotiations, his skill, intellect and personal intervention helped bring these negotiations back from the brink of collapse.

As I sat beside him in the countless meetings and conference calls he hosted in his office, my respect and admiration for John Kerry grew more and more.

The citizens who will benefit from this expanded commuter rail service owe an enormous debt of gratitude to John Kerry for his relentless pursuit of a just, fair and reasonable agreement.

In the end, he made the difference and I want to thank him for that.

And finally, I want to thank our friends from CSX, who worked so very hard during these negotiations in good faith to get a deal done.

I especially want to personally express my gratitude to Michael Ward, the President and CEO of CSX, for traveling to be here with us for this announcement today.

Your presence speaks volumes about the commitment of CSX to this effort.

CSX is certainly no stranger to Worcester and the freight rail industry as a whole is an important sector in our state’s economy and a critical component of our efforts to alleviate congestion on our state’s highways.

We look forward to continuing a long, positive and productive relationship with CSX for many more years to come.

Thank you all very much.