Metro closing gives Uncle Sam a pain
Shutting Metrorail is a big pain in Uncle Sam’s …
Without the people who work in the federal government or are in some way related to the federal government or sightseers who visit government facilities there would be no Metro.
The decision to close the entire the subway system all day Wednesday for safety inspections has many of those folks outraged.
[Metrorail system to shut down for at least 24 hours beginning at midnight]
But is that enough for Congress to step in and say “Enough”?
Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) hopes so, which is not the same as predicting so.
“The federal government is the biggest beneficiary of Metro every day,” he said.
Because of that he wants his Capitol Hill colleagues to be “more willing to be supportive of strategic investments Metro desperately needs to get back to a place of excellence and high performance.”
[Metro closure is a ‘gut punch’ to Washington-area lawmakers]
Money isn’t the only answer, but it is part of the solution, he said. Congress could help by contributing to Metro’s operating costs, currently borne by the local jurisdictions.
“Right now we do zero, which is not a fair share,” he added.
With additional funding, Metro could build capacity, such as another tunnel under the Potomac River, more quickly replace old cars and increase training
