Hotline #873 - April 14, 1995

The April newsletter is being printed and will be mailed early next week. A post card was mailed first-class today to all NARP members, alerting them to the dangers Amtrak still faces in the House Budget Committee after Easter recess. There is much pressure within the Committee to cut Amtrak further to help pay for the tax cut approved by the House earlier this month. NARP members should try to contact their legislators while they are in their home districts for the next couple of weeks. A higher proportion of the equally important Senate Budget Committee members are longtime Amtrak friends, but even they need reminding of Amtrak's importance.

Sen. James Exon (D.-Nebr.), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Surface Transportation Subcommittee, introduced a version of Amtrak authorization on April 4. His bill is S.674 and had Senators Dorgan (D.-N.Dak.), Kerry (D.-Mass.), and Moynihan (D.-N.Y.) as co-sponsors. It is much like last year's Senate bill that never made it to the Senate floor. It only authorizes Amtrak for a year, and authorizes a low number for operations -- the $260 million requested by Amtrak for 1996. It also authorizes the Farley Building project, the Boston Central Artery rail link, and an Amtrak board slot to represent consumers.

Sen. Paul Simon (D.-Ill.), also April 4, introduced a bill to raise the federal gas tax by eight cents per gallon and use it for transit, Amtrak, and highways. The Simon bill is S.665. This bill establishes an Amtrak account within the Highway Trust Fund to receive two cents of the tax. That's about $2 billion a year, or twice the amount in the Swift bill three years ago. This bill's outlook in this Congress is uncertain. The Journal of Commerce of April 10, characteristically, panned it.

The governors of 21 states and one territory wrote to the majority and minority leaders of both Houses of Congress on April 4 to make the case for federal support of Amtrak. This is very helpful. The governors who signed are from Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Virgin Islands.

The Administration's Amtrak authorization bill has been introduced in both Houses -- H.R.1437 in the House and S.693 in the Senate.

We have said that the State of Washington plans to start running the Mount Baker International between Seattle and Vancouver on May 26. Now we understand that the State of North Carolina plans to start the long-delayed Piedmont between Raleigh and Charlotte about the same time.

A National Public Radio program called Morning Edition on April 12 aired a monologue by commentator Russell Roberts. He discussed people who want the budget cut but want their favorite programs spared. He said, "NPR listeners with their $300 million subsidy are now at war with women who like cheap Amtrak tickets." If you call NPR's comment line, NPR may broadcast your taped comment to that. The number is 202/842-5044. Tell them what you think about "cheap Amtrak tickets," versus, say, cheap foreign gasoline.

There are two Amtrak Task Force public forums next week. The first is at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento on April 18, 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm. It is hosted by Caltrans. The second is April 19 at Seattle Union Station, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. It is hosted by the Cascadia Alliance.

The first FRA high-speed public outreach meeting is at Chicago on April 20. It is from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Knickerbocker Hotel, 163 E. Walton Pl. It is sponsored by Illinois DOT.