Press Releases

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson issued the following statement in response to four high-speed rail-related deaths:

"I was deeply saddened to learn about the pedestrians whose lives were lost along Brightline rail lines. Just last Friday, joined by several of my Transportation and Infrastructure Committee colleagues, I had the opportunity to test ride Brightline on a trial run from Ft. Lauderdale to West Palm Beach. As a key member of the committee's Railroad Subcommittee, I pledge to work closely with my colleagues to examine the causes of these fatalities and to ensure the safety of pedestrians and Brightline passengers. I also plan to work closely with local and federal transportation officials and with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to make sure that everything possible is being done to augment safety measures on Florida's high-speed rail line. Interestingly,

"At the turn of the century, Miami was a town of fewer than 300 people. The arrival of entrepreneur Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway helped jumpstart the Miami-Dade metropolitan area's transformation into the leader in global commerce that it is today. I cannot overstate the importance of All Aboard Florida's Brightline rail system, not only to Florida commuters, but to the nation as a whole, as we turn to alternative modes of travel in the future. However, as we seek to expand high-speed rail, safety must be our top priority. We cannot compromise on safety.

"Before I became an elected official, I was a teacher and then principal at Miami's Skyway Elementary School. Despite our best efforts to keep the children safe, we tragically lost several students to train-related deaths. Since then, pedestrian safety has been one of my top priorities, and frankly, one of the main reasons I pursued a seat on the Railroad Subcommittee.

"During my tenure, I have continually expressed my concerns about the critical importance of rail safety to stakeholders, including Brightline leadership during numerous committee hearings and meetings. Brightline representatives have assured me that safety is an issue of critical importance to them, too. Still, we have already lost four lives since the rail system's launch and testing phase, and we must examine the circumstances surrounding these deaths. It is of paramount importance that we determine what Brightline and local and federal transportation authorities can do to reach zero fatalities.

"As we look to rebuild and develop our nation's transportation systems, our country absolutely must make rail safety a key part of the discussion. A thorough examination of these terribly unfortunate deaths would be a perfect place to begin."