Nearly 150 guests came to the Sheraton Reston for the 38th annual Reston Association (RA) Members' Meeting on April 8.
In his first official visit to Reston since getting into political hot water for his comments about the war in Iraq at an interfaith peace rally in Reston earlier this year, Rep. James P. Moran (D-8th) praised the work of RA in his brief address. "You are doing good work here," Moran said. "Thank you for your terrific stewardship of the environment, with your 1,300 acres of open space, and of all of Reston."
Invited to the event to speak about Dulles Rail, the Alexandria Democrat said it would not be finished by 2010, as some have suggested. "I hope it could be done by 2015. The FTA will not support anything beyond the first phase at this point. "If we are going to do rail, we need to do it in stages."
In the meantime, Moran said he would work to bring a bus rapid transit system, or BRT, to Northern Virginia, a system he said would cost 10 percent less and would take 1/10th the time as the more ambitious rail project. "I am going to push for a full BRT service to Dulles and I think we can get Federal dollars. BRT does not preclude rail-to-Dulles.
Before leaving the podium, Moran said he would be working hard to help strengthen homeland security by shoring up the world's ports, bulking up America's own nuclear materials, preparing to cope with biological terror and tightening security at the nation's dams and waterways.
Following Moran to the podium were two local political leaders, Sen. Janet Howell (D-32) and Del. Kenneth Plum (D-36), who had previously and publicly expressed their displeasure with their fellow Democrat. Nothing was said about Moran's comments.
During her remarks to the crowd, Howell praised the work of RA. "Reston is my home, this is where my heart is," the senator said. "This is such a successful year for RA. I know how very blessed we are to live in Reston."
Plum gushed praise on RA, as well. "Thank you for all the work you do for Reston and the Reston community," the Reston delegate said. "You make life a lot easier for me."