In 1956, President Eisenhower set this nation on a course to move people and products speedily and safely – connecting communities and spurring commerce with the interstate highway system. Five-and-a-half decades later, in that same spirit, President Obama and the Democratic Congress have committed to investing in our nation’s infrastructure and building transportation systems for the 21st century, including a historic investment in high-speed rail.

By creating a network of high-speed rail systems across our nation, we will create jobs while increasing transportation options, reducing road congestion, lowering our dependence on foreign oil and protecting our planet.

California, always a leader in innovation, has led the nation in development of high-speed rail and was rewarded with the largest award from the Recovery Act’s $8 billion high-speed rail investment. Those funds have already been put to work creating jobs in San Francisco at the Transbay Transit Center.

Going forward, our state will fund the highest-value projects and secure a robust public-private partnership that will allow California to develop a rail system connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles that rivals any high-speed rail system in Europe or Asia.