NEWS

New Jersey Newsroom: Corzine fighting to keep firearms off the railways of N.J.
September 21, 2009


In a letter to Congressional leaders, Gov. Jon Corzine Monday urged them to oppose a provision included in the Senate version of the 2009-10 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill that requires the Amtrak rail service to accept passengers who carry firearms and ammunition in their checked baggage.

"I am outraged by a provision included in the Senate (transportation and housing) appropriations bill that requires Amtrak to accept passengers who carry firearms and ammunition in their checked baggage,'' Corzine wrote. "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.''

Corzine said that mandating the 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 (National Rifle Association) to force guns to be transported or carried into places like Newark and New Brunswick stations, the gateways to our major universities,'' he said.

The governor added the legislation is too important for the nation's economic recovery to be held up, delayed, or threatened by ideology. He said Amtrak's $1.6 billion budget is absolutely critical for keeping the railroad running and should not be jeopardized by 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,'' Corzine said. "Moreover, the Transportation Security Administration 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.''

Corzine said he will attempt to do everything in his 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 stations with Amtrak on the busiest section of railroad in North America between Trenton and Penn Station in Manhattan.

"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,'' Corzine said. "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 percent and in 2008, declined by 1.7 percent.''

– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM