Hotline #166 - November 22, 2000

Hope for the High Speed Rail Investment Act (HSRIA) is still alive, with Republican Senate Finance Chairman Bill Roth (Del.), Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, and Democratic Senators Frank Lautenberg (N.J.) and Daniel Patrick Moynihan (N.Y.) determined to make it happen if at all possible. Success probably depends on Senate and House leaders hearing enough support for HSRIA from colleagues. Ask your legislators to tell their leaders about the importance of enacting HSRIA this year. The leaders are, for Senate Republicans -- Trent Lott (Miss.), Senate Democrats -- Tom Daschle (S.Dak.), House Republicans -- J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.), and House Democrats -- Richard Gephardt (Mo.). Also, the White House needs to hear from you. To telephone any office on Capitol Hill, call 202/224-3121. The White House comment line is 202/456-1111. See our web site for more ways to contact political leaders -- and consider using regular mail if you can get it out more than a week before Congress reconvenes on December 5.

Committee chairmanships in the House of Representatives will be reassigned in January, in accordance with a 1995 Republican Caucus rule that limits chairmen to three terms (six years). Don Young of Alaska is in line to become chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The current chairman, Bud Shuster of Pennsylvania, likely will chair the big Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, which has jurisdiction over highways, transit, and Amtrak -- unless Young reshuffles subcommittee jurisdictions (as Shuster did).

Bill Young of Florida can continue as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee because he's only had the position for two years. It is not clear who will replace Frank Wolf of Virginia as chairman of the transportation subcommittee.

Charles Grassley, of Iowa, likely will succeed Roth as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Equal party representation on committees in the Senate is the goal of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (S.Dak.). Currently, Republicans hold a two-seat advantage on committees. That could drop to one in light of this month's election. If Sen. Slade Gorton, the Washington Republican, holds onto his lead, and a Bush presidency keeps Democrat Joseph Lieberman in the Senate, the result would be a Senate with 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. The outgoing Senate has 54 Republicans and 46 Democrats.

In the House, where 218 is a majority, the makeup likely will be 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats. The ration in the outgoing Congress is 222 to 209. [The outgoing House had two vacant seats; both new and outgoing Houses include two Independents.] Thus, the current, four-member Republican margin on committees could be reduced next year.

Amtrak's Acela Express tickets go on sale November 29; revenue service -- a single frequency in each direction -- starts December 11.

The Memphis station was officially opened, at last, on November 17. The station area is on the same level as the train, in the old, open concourse area that has been enclosed for a very nice and brand-new station. Parking is right outside the door to the station, next to the terminal track. You can step off the train and right into your car or a taxi. The old trailer will be removed. A precinct station for the Memphis Police Department should be open soon -- the space is finished. NARP Director Ed Von Nordeck of Riverside, Cal., says, "Memphis has gone from being one of the worst stations in the system to a spectacular star that has become an anchor for a growing arts and residential district in lower downtown Memphis. The 85-year-old building hasn't looked this good since it was new. The upper floors that used to house Illinois Central division offices now have apartments and commercial offices. The old REA Express area now is condos and apartments. The lower floor of the main station building is available for shops and restaurants, and negotiations are under way for several new tenants. Memphis is now one of the safest downtown stations in Amtrak's system."