Happening Now

House to Stage Another Round of Votes on Anti-Train Amendments Today

June 9, 2015

The U.S. House of Representatives is reconvening today at 12:00 PM Eastern to take up legislative business, including voting on several key amendments that target Amtrak’s long-distance services and an innovative high-speed rail project in Florida.

As part of the House’s effort to finish up the Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation, Housing & Urban Development bill, members will vote on amendments offered by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.) that target the Sunset Limited, Amtrak’s national network, NARP members have already helped to turn back amendments by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) to eliminate Amtrak’s capital and operating budget—a move which would’ve ended the national passenger rail network as we know it.

Thanks to your help, the House defeated these Amtrak-killing amendments—but the work isn’t done! This is your last chance to make sure your voice is heard, so call your Representative and tell them to vote “NO” on the Sessions and Posey amendments! With voting scheduled to take place today, a well-timed call could be the difference in your elected official’s decision!

NARP has included a full list of the train-related amendments below. You can watch the proceedings live. With the House dealing with six unrelated bills when it convenes 12:00 PM Eastern, voting isn’t likely to happen until around 2:00 this afternoon.

You can watch live on C-SPAN. Make sure to follow NARP’s Facebook and Twitter pages to get the latest updates!

Anti-Train Amendments to the FY 2016 T-HUD Bill

Rep. Sessions’ H.Amdt.407: An amendment to prohibit the use of funds to support Amtrak's route with the highest loss, measured by contributions/(loss) per rider. This amendment would target the Sunset Limited (Louisiana - California). https://www.congress.gov/amendment/114th-congress/house-amendment/407

Rep. Sessions’ H.Amdt.409: An amendment to prohibit the use of funds to support any Amtrak route whose costs exceed two times its revenues. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/114th-congress/house-amendment/409

Rep. Posey’s H.Amdt.405: An amendment to prohibit the use of funds by the Department of Transportation to take any actions with respect to the financing of passenger rail projects along Florida's East Coast.https://www.congress.gov/amendment/114th-congress/house-amendment/405

Rep. Posey’s H.Amdt.411 https://www.congress.gov/amendment/114th-congress/house-amendment/411 : An amendment to prohibit the use of funds by the Department of Transportation to authorize exempt facility bonds to finance passenger rail projects that cannot attain the speed of 150 mph.

Rep. Posey’s H.AMDT.413: An amendment to prohibit the use of funds by the Department of Transportation to make a loan in an amount that exceeds $600 million under the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act.

Comments

"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."

Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.