A White House infrastructure fact sheet claims that nearly one-third of Wyoming’s trains and transit vehicles are outdated, despite the fact that the state does not operate a public train system.
In a section on Wyoming’s public transportation, the fact sheet claims, “32 percent of trains and other transit vehicles in the state are past useful life.” Biden’s plan defines transit vehicles as buses and rail cars. The state of Wyoming operated 463 buses in 2017, according to a vehicle inventory. However, all train tracks and trains operating within the state are privately owned, the state’s Republican Sen. John Barrasso noted.
The Biden Administration claims that its plan will help support existing public transit trains in Wyoming. There are no public transportation trains in Wyoming. The president says he is a “no malarkey” guy… this is a malarkey plan. https://t.co/P5FaF4cZ6n #TheMalarkeyPlan pic.twitter.com/MQYCTrLYB6
— Sen. John Barrasso (@SenJohnBarrasso) April 12, 2021
Barrasso dismissed the $2 trillion American Jobs Plan as a “malarkey plan.”
This multi-trillion dollar waste of taxpayer funds is the biggest bait and switch since President Obama announced his “shovel-ready” stimulus. After all these years, President Biden has found something to shovel, the problem for the American people is he is shoveling malarkey.
— Sen. John Barrasso (@SenJohnBarrasso) April 12, 2021
Amtrak has not operated inside Wyoming since 1997, according to TrainWeb. The state does not own or operate any public train systems, although it does help manage railway logistics, according to the state’s Department of Transportation. Wyoming’s private train tracks are primarily owned by the BNSF Railway Company and the Union Pacific Railroad.
If the American Jobs Plan passes, Amtrak could return to the Cowboy State. A new line connecting Pueblo, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, could be created with the $80 million allocated to Amtrak by the infrastructure bill, the Post Independent reported.
The American Jobs Plan would include $85 billion for public transportation, according to the fact sheet. Amtrak already received $1.7 billion from the American Rescue Plan. (RELATED: Senator: Hunter Biden Served On Amtrak Board Because He Liked Train Travel)
Democrats and Republicans have criticized Biden’s infrastructure proposal. Republican Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell described the bill as “a Trojan horse. So it’s called infrastructure but inside the Trojan horse is going to be more borrowed money and massive tax increases.” Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin believes the 28% corporate tax rate included in the legislation is too high.
In addition to more traditional infrastructure projects like roads and bridges, the American Jobs Plan also allocates significant funds to public schools and community colleges, nursing homes, and other projects intended to “advance racial equity and environmental justice.”