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Rail Passengers on Fink's Confirmation to Head FRA
October 9, 2025
For Immediate Release (25-15)
October 9, 2025
Contact: Joe Aiello ([email protected])
Rail Passengers Association on the Confirmation of David Fink to Head the Federal Railroad Administration
Washington, D.C.—Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of David Fink as Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration:
“We congratulate Administrator Fink for his confirmation and stand ready to work with him in ensuring the safe and reliable movement of passengers and freight across the U.S. rail network.
“Administrator Fink brings a wealth of knowledge to his position, having headed a freight railroad that also served as host for Amtrak service. We believe that having first-hand experience in balancing the needs of these two categories of operations will be a valuable resource to the FRA, the agency charged with administering the expansion of America’s passenger rail network, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.”
Rail Passengers urged Congress to speedily confirm Mr. Fink to the agency following his nomination hearing in May of this year.
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About the Rail Passengers Association: with 127,000 members, donors, and supporters, the non-profit Rail Passengers Association is the oldest and largest national organization serving as a voice for the more than 40 million rail passengers in the U.S. Our mission is to improve and expand conventional intercity and regional passenger train services, support higher speed rail initiatives, increase connectivity among all forms of transportation, and ensure safety for our country's trains and passengers. All of this makes communities safer, more accessible, and more productive, improving the lives of everyone who lives, works, and plays in towns all across America.
"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.
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