Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law Schumer Led To Passage Contains Billions To Upgrade Rail Across U.S. And Key New “Buy America” Requirements Schumer Fought For That Can Be A Huge Boon For Alstom’s Hornell Facility, As One Of The Only Domestic Rail Car Manufacturers
Schumer Brings USDOT Top Brass To Alstom In Hornell For The First Time To See How Southern Tier Workers Are Primed To Further Bring Rail Car Manufacturing Back To America
Schumer To USDOT: All Aboard And Full Steam Ahead For Hornell’s Alstom Workers To Build America’s Rail Future
With billions in federal rail investment coming down the track thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today brought U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Under Secretary Carlos Monje Jr. to Alstom’s Hornell Facility so the Biden Administration can see firsthand how Southern Tier workers are primed to lead the future of American trains. Schumer explained that in addition to the major investments to improve America’s rail, he also fought to strengthen Buy America requirements for infrastructure projects, a game-changer for companies like Alstom, one of the few domestic manufactures of rail cars in the U.S.
“Billions are coming down the track to boost the rail industry in the United States thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law and Buy America requirements I fought hard to expand. When we say Build and Buy it in America that means good-paying manufacturing jobs right here at Alstom in Hornell as the nation’s leader in rail car production,” said Senator Schumer. “I am proud to personally bring Transportation Under Secretary Carlos Monje Jr. to show the Biden Administration firsthand how the Southern Tier workforce is the best of the best when it comes to train production and is primed for more work building our transportation future. I say all aboard and full steam ahead for the Alstom Hornell facility, and making the Southern Tier the next stop for making trains here in America.”
“It is always a great honor for Alstom to have Senator Schumer visit our highly skilled workforce and meet with some of the key suppliers and partners bringing high speed rail to America at our manufacturing facility in Hornell, New York,” said Alstom Americas President and CEO, Michael Keroullé. “We applaud and thank the Senator’s strong leadership and for championing smart Buy America policy that ensures IIJA funding creates U.S. jobs and strengthens local communities. We are proud to build a national center of excellence for the manufacture of high-speed trains in Hornell –proof that Buy America creates jobs, supports families, and revitalizes communities across America, building innovation and resilience into advanced technology and infrastructure.”
“We have an opportunity to grow a safer, cleaner, and more equitable rail system, and one that brings world-class passenger rail to more communities across the country thanks to historic rail funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We are grateful to have leaders like Leader Schumer who successfully fought for these unprecedented federal investments,” USDOT Under Secretary Carlos Monje said. The Biden-Harris Administration and the USDOT will consistently and passionately support rail improvements, domestic manufacturing, and American jobs as we put these investments to work to build the 21st century rail system Americans deserve.”
“The highly-skilled Machinists Union members at Alstom are the perfect example of how we can build the future of America right here at home,” said Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). “We are so proud that the nation’s first high speed rail trains in America are going to be made by IAM Rail Division members, and we’re ready to continue making history. I’m so grateful to Leader Schumer, President Biden and our allies on Capitol Hill who continue to make record investments in building the infrastructure of tomorrow and creating good union jobs in our communities,” said International Association of Machinists President International President Bob Martinez Jr.
The senator explained the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law he led to passage makes the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak, with over $66 billion in new investment. This new funding will significant boost the rail industry, which means more work and more opportunities for Alstom to grow. Some of these provisions include:
· $30 billion to Amtrak and in FRA competitive grants to modernize the Northeast Corridor.
· $16 billion to Amtrak to modernize its national network, including the procurement of new rail cars for the national network.
· $12 billion in competitive grants for states to compete to expand their intercity passenger rail networks.
· $8 billion for rail safety infrastructure and grade crossing elimination.
In addition, Schumer said that he fought hard to expand and strengthen Buy America requirements in the final Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including making permanent the Made in America Office that President Biden had originally created by Executive Order. This office will help agencies implement the broader Buy America requirements, including continuing the long history of strong Buy America standards for rolling stock manufacturing like Alstom’s in Hornell that has resulted in a greater domestic production of rail cars and other modes of transportation like transit buses. These provisions from both the IIJA and President Biden’s additional executive actions mean that the Department of Transportation must further increase efforts to enforce Buy America and maximize U.S. production of trains for federally-funded rail projects, further positioning Alstom for expanded manufacturing opportunities.
Schumer has a long history of fighting for growth at Alstom’s Steuben County facility, which has, for more than 170 years, been manufacturing and servicing high-quality trains in Hornell. Through his efforts, the workforce has doubled and the facility is expanding, securing Alstom and Hornell’s future as the center for rail car manufacturing in the North America.
He lead the charge to urge the USDOT to green light Amtrak’s efforts to buy brand new Next Generation High-Speed trains, a necessary step to keep this Acelea contracting opportunity on track. Later he joined local and plant leaders to announce his efforts has paid off, and the Amtrak Board of Directors’ entrance into negotiations with Alstom to provide a replacement for Amtrak’s current Acela trains. As a result 400 new jobs were created at Alstom, and hundreds more in supplier and indirect opportunities throughout the Southern Tier and New York State.
With Schumer’s help, Alstom is growing again. In 2021, Schumer delivered a $3.4 million federal grant from the Economic Development Administration to make improvements to the Shawmut Industrial Park, the site of Alstom’s fourth building which houses its new car shell manufacturing operation. Through his work on these efforts and the landmark IIJA, Schumer has and will continue to push to deliver more work to Alstom’s Hornell Facility to maintain existing and create new good-paying manufacturing jobs in the Southern Tier.
Because of Schumer’s multi-year effort, the first high-speed trains manufactured in America are being made in Hornell. The Hornell Alstom facility has seen $270 million in public and private investment since the 2016 award of Amtrak’s high-speed railcar contract, boosting the entire region as a major train manufacturing hub. Alstom’s manufacturing in New York has created 750 jobs for the high-speed train project alone, including an estimated 400 jobs at Alstom in Hornell, and helped attract over 50 other supplier companies.
