Virginia is set to receive $75 million in funding for high speed rail, pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. President Obama announced yesterday that thirty states are scheduled to receive a total of $8 billion. Virginia's funds will be used to improve 11 miles of track along the 95 corridor between Richmond and Washington D.C., removing one of the worst bottlenecks on the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor. Because of these improvements, rail travelers between Richmond and Washington will realize increased on-time performance and decreased travel times along the route. This is a great starting point in our ultimate goal of bringing high speed rail to our region. President Obama has included additional funding for high speed rail in the federal budget and has articulated a long-term commitment to developing all of the nation's high speed rail corridors, including the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor that runs through Richmond.