Letter To Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens

To Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens

April 12, 2005

The Honorable Ted Stevens, Chairman
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
U.S. Senate

Dear Mr. Chairman:

The National Association of Railroad Passengers is pleased to endorse with enthusiasm the nomination of Joseph H. Boardman to be Federal Railroad Administrator.  We understand that his job will be to advance administration policies.  We strongly disagree with those policies which, as we understand them, we believe would end all U.S. intercity passenger rail.  Thus, of course, we hope he will be able to moderate them.

In any event, we appreciate and respect Commissioner Boardman’s encyclopedic knowledge of the railroad industry in general and passenger rail in particular.  As chairman of the Standing Committee on Rail Transportation of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Mr. Boardman was the guiding force behind two of the most important railroad documents ever produced in Washington—Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation and Freight-Rail Bottom Line Report.  Release of these reports in January, 2003, rated front-page space in our newsletter (and doubtless in many other industry publications).

We have questioned the factual accuracy of many of Secretary Mineta’s statements about passenger rail, as reflected in the “Fact Check” section of our web site.  Particularly because of that, we believe that Commissioner Boardman’s knowledge will be of exceptional value to the Secretary, the entire Bush Administration, the Congress and the general public.

We urge speedy confirmation of Commissioner Boardman and look forward to a productive dialogue with him about the future of passenger rail in America.  Thank you for considering our views.

Sincerely,

Ross B. Capon
Executive Director

Cc:  The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
      The Honorable Trent Lott