HONOLULU -- Strong words are being issued from both sides of the rail transit debate.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie is calling on the group Stop Rail Now to stop circulating their anti-rail plan petition.

However, group leaders said they won’t stop until their issue is put on the November ballot.

Abercrombie said that by signing the petition, people are killing any chance of a mass transit system for Honolulu.

“Let me tell you something, anybody that signs that petition, I want to ask you something. How are you going to pay for this? There is not a penny of federal money that is going to come in for these schemes,” Abercrombie said.

The congressman also said that the petition is an attempt to fool the public on the issue.

Instead of a rail line, Stop Rail Now supporters said they believe an express bus service is the answer to the congestion problem.

Abercrombie said that there will be no money for any other options if they lose the nearly $1 billion in federal funding.

The group said that they’ve met their goal of 20,000 signatures.

They need nearly 25,000 more in order to get on the ballot.