The Online Office of Congresswoman Doris Matsui - Congresswoman Matsui and Senior Amtrak Officials Announce $466 Million Contract for Siemens’ Sacramento Manufacturing Facility

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Congresswoman Matsui and Senior Amtrak Officials Announce $466 Million Contract for Siemens’ Sacramento Manufacturing Facility

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 29, 2010

CONTACT: MARA LEE
c: (202) 302-3249

Congresswoman Matsui and Senior Amtrak Officials Announce $466 Million Contract for Siemens’ Sacramento Manufacturing Facility
Matsui Helped Support Contract Bid That Will Create 200 Local Jobs

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) joined senior business and government leaders to announce a $466 million contract Amtrak has awarded Siemens Mobility to build 70 electric locomotives. The contract will create 250 jobs, 200 of which will be based at Siemens’ manufacturing facility on French Road, where the announcement was made before 700 current employees.

The Congresswoman wrote a letter earlier this year urging Amtrak to consider Siemens for this contract because of the job creation potential for the Sacramento region. Congresswoman Matsui joined Amtrak Chairman Thomas Carper, Federal Railroad Administration Chairman Joseph Szabo, President and CEO of Siemens Industry Inc. Daryl Dulaney, and President of Siemens Mobility Division Oliver Hauck in announcing the contract this morning.

“This contract is great news for the people of Sacramento and will create 200 new jobs close to home,” Congresswoman Matsui said. “Furthermore, the partnership between Amtrak and Siemens will help increase our region’s presence in the clean technology sector and specifically in our ability to manufacture products right here in Sacramento. Siemens, Amtrak and this Congress are making the words ‘Made in America’ a reality once again.”

The locomotives built at Siemens’ Sacramento manufacturing facility will be used on Amtrak’s Northeast corridor, and will replace locomotives twenty to thirty years old. These new trains will be both environmentally friendly, and meet the latest federal safety regulations.

“As the global leader in rail technology, we are delighted to build for Amtrak the fastest, most modern and safest locomotives in the world,” said Dulaney. “These locomotives will be built in America using renewable energy and will provide cleaner, more efficient movement of people on the most heavily traveled rail route in the country.”

“This isn’t your grandfather’s locomotive,” explained Hauck. “Not only will we use renewable energy to build them, the locomotives will also include energy efficient features, such as regenerative braking that can feed up to 100 percent of the energy generated during braking back to the power grid.”

“The new contract is another sign of how Sacramento is leading the way in clean technology manufacturing,” added Matsui. “Our region is positioned to be at the forefront of meeting America’s clean energy needs. Sacramento’s workforce, families, and community as a whole will all benefit as a result of this investment in local manufacturing. I applaud Siemens for their commitment to Sacramento and Amtrak for their recognition of the superior craftsmanship of our local workforce.”

Congresswoman Matsui has been a leader in making the Sacramento region a “Clean Tech Capital”, securing over $280 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for clean tech and energy efficiency projects in the area. Additionally, Congresswoman Matsui has introduced a number of legislative initiatives in the House of Representatives to promote clean technology manufacturing across the nation. Matsui’s Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act, which would support the development and implementation of a National Clean Energy Technology Export Strategy, passed the House in July and is part of the “Make it in America” Agenda.

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