Hotline #983 - May 23, 1997

Texas Gov. George Bush (R.) signed the Texas Eagle loan bill on May 16.

Work on the budget resolution kept all of us in Washington very busy this week. The Senate approved -- and House leaders accepted -- language creating an "Amtrak Reserve Fund." This language was vital to us. It means that creation of a dedicated Amtrak fund later on will not violate the Budget Act. The Senate approved its budget resolution today, and the House approved theirs early yesterday. Final passage depends on a House-Senate conference after the week-long recess, but Amtrak apparently will not be an issue.

The Senate resolution also includes -- and the final resolution presumably will include -- language by Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.) saying Amtrak "is in a financial crisis." The language states the "Sense of the Senate" that money from any new intercity rail passenger fund should only be distributed in connection with legislation to reauthorize and reform Amtrak. Sen. Phil Gramm (R.-Tex.) offered a harsher version of this language as an amendment on the evening of May 21, and that was defeated 68-31.

On the House floor, Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bud Shuster (R.-Pa.) offered an amendment to add $12 billion more in highway spending, and that failed 216-214. Shuster, however, has indicated he won't give up the fight for more highway dollars. Sen. John Warner (R.-Va.) had a similar amendment during consideration of the Senate resolution, and it failed 51-49.

There are 11 additional co-sponsors to H.R.1437, the House Amtrak half-cent bill, this week, bringing the total to 40. That puts us over the level of 33 co-sponsors that the Swift Ampenny bill of 1992 had -- but we still need more. Please keep up the pressure. The 11 new names are Frank (Mass.), Menendez (N.J.), Lantos (Cal.), Sandlin (Tex.), Clayton (N.C.), Hefner (N.C.), Kaptur (Ohio), Brown (Ohio), DeLauro (Conn.), Lowey (N.Y.), and Morella (Md.). Lantos is the first Californian to sign up for either the House or Senate bill.

Additionally, Sen. Patty Murray (D.-Wash.) became the 14th co-sponsor this week of S.436, the Senate half-cent bill.

The Great American Station Foundation had a reception at Washington Union Station on May 21 to launch a display car that will tour the country.

Amtrak will honor air tickets for passengers who are affected by the cancellation of flights by Great Lakes Aviation, which operates some feeder flights for United Airlines. Air tickets will be honored if space is available. The area affected is centered on Chicago and covers much of the Midwest.

Amtrak West Capitols trains begin serving Hayward, Cal., on May 29. The San Diegans begin serving Carpinteria on June 21.

Amtrak will join the nationwide "Moment of Remembrance" on Memorial Day, by having all trains blow their horns at 3:00 pm Eastern time, in honor of those who lost their lives in service to the country or in acts of terrorism.

The Amtrak Northeast Executive Privileges Program is discontinued, but may resume during fiscal 1998. However, some ticket agents are still recording usage by cardholders, in case the program is restarted in a way that honors previous travel.

Maryland officials are urging Amtrak and Norfolk Southern to see if it is possible to run double-stack freight trains on the Amtrak line between Baltimore and Perryville. Maryland port officials are anxious to have Norfolk Southern freight from Harrisburg and the west come to Baltimore, once Norfolk Southern takes over Conrail freight services in the area. Officials need to see if such traffic would clear electrification on the line or interfere with Amtrak or MARC traffic.