Governor Corzine Calls on Congressional Leaders to Maintain Gun Safety Guidelines on Amtrak Rail Service

Calls the federal amendment an unacceptable threat to the safety of New Jersey

TRENTON - In a letter to Congressional leaders, Governor Jon S. Corzine today urged members to oppose a provision included in the Senate FY10 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill that requires Amtrak to accept passengers who carry firearms and ammunition in their checked baggage.

 

Below is the text of the Governor's letter:

 

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Reid, Chairman Inouye, Chairman Obey, Chairwoman Murray, and Chairman Olver:

 

I am outraged by a provision included in the Senate FY10 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development ("THUD") appropriations bill that requires Amtrak to accept passengers who carry firearms and ammunition in their checked baggage.  This provision creates an unacceptable threat to the safety of New Jerseyans.  Furthermore, this bill, which provides critical funding for housing and community development and the nation's transportation system, must not be held hostage by a gun fight.

 

Mandating our national railroad to hold and transport firearms in unsecured baggage areas across America is both deplorable and ludicrous in a post 9-11 world.  I will not allow the NRA to force guns to be transported or carried into places like Newark and New Brunswick Stations, the gateways to our major universities.  

 

Moreover, this legislation is too important for this nation's economic recovery to be held up, delayed, or threatened by ideology.  Amtrak's $1.6 billion, which is absolutely critical for keeping the railroad running at all¸ let alone safely and reliably, should not be jeopardized by the desires of the pro-gun lobby.

 

Amtrak is not an airline and as such it does not have the requisite infrastructure at its 520 stations to ensure the safety of its passengers if this amendment were to be signed into law.  Moreover, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is not deployed on Amtrak trains or stations.  The amendment would require Amtrak to develop internal security and handling procedures for firearms, and would very likely lead to the costly overhaul of baggage cars and stations to support secure firearm handling.  These adjustments would need to be made in 6 months or Amtrak would be unable to access $1.6 billion.

 

As Governor of New Jersey, I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure the safety of New Jerseyans who utilize public transportation.  NJ TRANSIT is the largest statewide commuter railroad in the country and it shares six (6) stations with Amtrak on the busiest section of railroad in North America between Trenton, NJ and Penn Station, NY.  This amendment is unacceptable to me, particularly when we are doing all we can to protect our citizens from terror attacks and violent crimes as well as promoting the use of public transportation.

 

Along these lines, I have fought for aggressive firearm legislation limiting the sale and purchase of handguns in New Jersey.  This new law sets a "one-gun-a-month" limitation on the purchase of handguns to one sales transaction per individual in a 30-day period.   Furthermore, under my Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods, law enforcement efforts using county task forces and partnerships with cities are seizing guns, including assault weapons.   As a result of these and related law enforcement efforts, New Jersey experienced its first consecutive-year decrease in homicides since 1999.  In 2007, homicides declined by 11% and in 2008, declined by 1.7%. 

 

As conferees on this critical legislation, I implore you to strike this indefensible amendment to help ensure the safety and security of our nation's rail passengers.  Thank you in advance for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jon S. Corzine

 

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