Obama endorses high-speed rail

NPR: President Obama backs idea of high-speed rail

President Obama wants the country to move swiftly to a system of high-speed rail travel, touting its congestion-relieving benefits as well as better use of energy and cleaner air.

Obama said the country cannot afford not to invest in a major upgrade to rail travel. He said he understands it necessarily will be "a long-term project" but said the time to start is now.

Obama said the rail upgrades are critically needed because the nation's highways and airways "are clogged with traffic."

Will this endorsement speed up movement on high-speed rail? We'll see.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: House to vote on phone deregulation

ARKANSAS: A look at how the state funds school districts

FLORIDA: Legislators begin 'twittering' to connect with constituents

GEORGIA: Legislators give boost to solar and wind power with bill

KENTUCKY: Kentucky noted as 'the saddest state'

LOUISIANA: Rep. Anh Cao seeking more than $1 billion in earmark requests

MISSISSIPPI: Cigarette tax increase talks to be revived by lawmakers

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue to highlight jobs initiative today

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's citizens to get $800 million in tax cuts, says Obama

TENNESSEE: Bill to ban texting while driving advances in House

VIRGINIA: High voltage power line across mid-Atlantic delayed

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