Surface Transportation & High Speed Rail Summit Focuses on the Future of Transportation

The US High Speed Rail Association (USHSR) announces a Surface Transportation & High Speed Rail Summit, February 28th - March 1st, at the Alion Conference Center in Washington, DC. This three-day conference will bring together the nation's top government officials and many of the world's leading experts to discuss the pros and cons of the massive Surface Transportation Bill that is currently being debated in both the House and Senate.

Conference attendees will hear from the Obama Administration, members of Congress, Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, international high speed rail experts, private rail operators, financial and investment professionals, engineers, construction leaders, real estate development professionals and national transportation safety advisors.

Confirmed headline speakers for the event include: House Transportation Chairman John Mica, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Congressman Jim Costa, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congressman David Price, Congressman Lacy Clay, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congresswoman Donna Edwards.

Confirmed speakers joining the program include: Christopher Hart, Vice Chairman, NTSB; Karen Hedlund, Deputy Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA); Donald M. Itzkoff, Executive Counsel, Public Policy & Government Affairs at GE Transportation; Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ghana; Andrejs Bunkse, General Counsel, Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.; Steven O. Palmer, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates, Washington, DC.

Conference highlights include Bringing High Speed Rail to America, the opening session with leading advocates for high speed rail in America. Hear about the benefits, opportunities, and challenges of a major new infrastructure project for America. Also the panel will discuss the status of the HSR program, and upcoming projects. Building HSR in America with PPPs will explore the challenges and solutions to building HSR in America by using Public Private Partnerships. Innovative thinkers will discuss strategies to creatively finance and build HSR, citing successful lessons and practices learned from Europe and Asia. Legal, Policy & Legislative Issues will highlight the transportation reauthorization legislation and the various issues related to transportation funding and policy in America. This session will have some of the leading legal and policy experts as well as industry insiders.

"This conference could not be more timely as the national debate about the future of America's Transportation Systems takes center stage in Congress," said Thomas Hart, vice president for Government Affairs for the USHSR Association. "We want the conference to create an environment for robust debate with the goal of passing a comprehensive bill that provides a framework for the enhancement of the nation's infrastructure and transportation systems."

According to Andy Kunz, president of the USHSR, "The nation's transportation system must not be held hostage by the flowing political tides in Washington. America is falling further behind in the global competition for manufacturing, high-tech jobs and transportation infrastructure."

For more information on the association and to view the agenda for the Summit, visit: http://www.ushsr.com/dcprogram2012.html

Conference Speakers: http://www.ushsr.com/dcspeakers2012.html