Delivering Our Message To Statehouses

By Rail Passengers Staff

This week several state legislatures began considering passenger-rail programs, and your Association was there to make sure our voices were heard.

Rail Passengers Association Chairwoman Meredith Richards appeared before a panel of the Oregon legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee to share her experiences as one of the leaders behind Virginia’s efforts to create a sustainable, long-term investment in passenger rail – one that has paid off handsomely in the decades since that commitment was made.

Oregon is considering an overall rail bill, as well as a measure creating the Oregon Rail and Transit Department. You can watch Chair Richards' excellent testimony here at this link, advancing to the 1:32 mark.

And Sean Jeans-Gail, VP for Government Affairs and Policy on your professional staff, participated as an “informational witness” before the Montana legislature as it begins to work on moving forward with new passenger-rail initiatives in Big Sky country.

This kind of advocacy is just one of the many ways we’re working to make sure that even as Federal funding looks shaky, commitment to strong passenger-rail programs everywhere in the country remains strong. We’re out here every day in every way possible working to bring more and better trains to more people in communities large and small.