Hotline #91 - June 17, 1999

The fiscal 2000 transportation spending bill is expected on the House floor probably on June 22. Please urge all Members to oppose any cut to Amtrak's $571 million. Tell them this is already 7% below the 1999 level, while the bill gives highways, Coast Guard, transit, and aviation increases ranging from 4% to 7%. The highway increase is $1.6 billion, or three times the Amtrak total. To reach any Capitol Hill office, call 202/224-3121.

The House Republican leadership wants to cut transportation spending below what the Appropriations Committee approved. The leadership includes Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.), Majority Leader Dick Armey (Tex.), Whip Tom DeLay (Tex.), J. C. Watt (Okla.; who chairs the House Republican Conference), and Christopher Cox (Cal.; chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee). The most vocal fiscal hawk is another Oklahoman, Rep. Tom Coburn.

The leadership may not yet know what it will do. They have a tough job because highway and transit spending is uncuttable. It's unclear whether they will see a token Amtrak cut that might be fixed later, or a huge, life-threatening cut.

The Senate may also do its transportation funding bill next week. Negotiations continue over a Shelby provision that diverts some transit funding from New York and California, but no funding cut amendments are expected.

The House on June 15 approved a $57-billion package for aviation, 316-110, that would give it firewall protection. The Washington Post reported that this AIR-21 bill essentially puts airports ahead of all other government priorities such as defense, education, and tax cuts. Ways and Means Chairman Bill Archer complained that the bill "would force us to renege on our promise for early tax reduction at just about the same time voters head for the election booth next year." Other AIR-21 opponents include Budget Chairman Kasich, Appropriations Chairman Young, the Administration, and the U.S. Senate.

A ceremonial run of Amtrak's new Heartland Flyer ran from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City on June 14. Katie Moore, who won the train-naming contest, and U.S. Sen. Don Nickles (R.) launched the train at Fort Worth by breaking confetti-filled bottles on it. Nickles, who rode a train from Ponca City to Oklahoma City as a state senator, told the Fort Worth crowd, "I'm delighted to say Amtrak is back in Oklahoma." At each stop, the train split a welcoming banner and there were brief speeches. Ardmore sent more than 50 people on a bus to Gainesville to ride back to Ardmore.

Some people on board also had ridden Amtrak's last Oklahoma train 20 years ago. Nickles, the Senate's majority whip, said a lot of Oklahomans, who are like his mother-in-law and don't fly, can ride the train. Asked what it will take to keep Amtrak service, Nickles said, "I would hope we would get our ridership up. I think for tourism, it will be a great win for the state." Gov. Frank Keating boarded at Ardmore and at every stop urged people to use the train, saying, "You've got to invest in our future." State Transportation Secretary Neal McCaleb said the train "rides like a cloud. Every seat is a first-class seat. It's just a great way to travel." Revenue service began June 15.

Service on former Conrail lines is not going smoothly, although a Union Pacific-style meltdown seems unlikely. UPS this week said it was temporarily diverting some of its traffic to trucks. Amtrak on-time performance also has suffered.