Three Bipartisan Amtrak Bills Pass Out of T&I

by Sean Jeans-Gail | VP of Gov't Affairs, Rail Passengers Association

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed three pieces of bipartisan Amtrak legislation this week during a full committee markup. The bills, which were passed by unanimous consent as part of a broad package of bills, ranged from the transparency of Amtrak Board deliberations, to executive pay, to the rights of passengers traveling with infants.

Rail Passengers’ President Jim Mathews submitted a letter to the Committee applauding its bipartisan approach to oversight, arguing it will help provide a stronger foundation for continued elevated funding levels for Amtrak and passenger rail programs secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:

The Rail Passengers Association writes today to thank the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for exercising its oversight role on behalf of the riding public and American taxpayers. Our organization believes in the need for increased transparency in the operations of Amtrak’s Board, and we’re glad to see bipartisan support in the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to further this goal. It’s important to note that our Association is also very encouraged by recent Amtrak actions and statements regarding plans to increase transparency of their own volition in the absence of any legislative requirement; we look forward to seeing specific proposals on this subject from Amtrak following its upcoming Board of Directors meeting on September 25th and 26th.

Our Association has long argued that in practical terms Amtrak is a governmental entity, with the attendant rights and responsibilities , and so we were pleased to see the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee tackling this issue head on.

Rail Passengers is committed to securing the inclusion of predictable, robust, multi-year funding for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail programs for the benefit of America’s passengers, Amtrak, and Amtrak-served communities in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act took an important first step in addressing decades of underinvestment, but these funding levels must be continued in future years for these programs to be successful. Rail Passengers believe with greater public funding comes a greater responsibility to the public.

—Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 8692, the Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act, requires Amtrak's to notify the public of the time, place, and location of pending Board of Directors meetings; allow for public observations unless closed under an exemption of the Sunshine Act; and, if a meeting is closed for observation, produce a set of publicly available minutes that provide a full and accurate summary of matters discussed and actions taken.

“This common-sense legislation would allow the American people to have a say in how their taxpayer dollars are used in government-sponsored style entities like Amtrak,” said Rail Subcommittee Chairman Troy Nehls (R-TX), the lead sponsor of the bill. “I would like to thank my colleagues for supporting my legislation and look forward to working to get this legislation across the finish line.”

—Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 8689, the Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act, requires Amtrak to notify Congress when it plans to offer bonuses to executives and to publicly disclose the awarding of such bonuses.

“I introduced this bill because I fundamentally believe that government must be more transparent with its taxpayers and how it spends taxpayer money,” said Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY), lead sponsor of the bill.

—H.R. 8995, the Baby Changing on Board Act, requires new Amtrak trains to be equipped with baby changing stations in all accessible restrooms. The legislation is co-led by Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), and Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). The bill enshrines Amtrak’s existing procurement practices into law.

“Parents shouldn’t have to worry about whether there is a safe and clean place to care for their child while traveling,” said Rep. Underwood. “This is a practical, necessary step to make sure that families have access to the amenities they need to take care of their kids, and I look forward to its swift passage in the House.”

The package of bills must now be passed by the full House and the Senate. With the House consumed by the debate over passage of a Fiscal Year 2025 budget to avoid a government shutdown, and no corresponding committee action scheduled in the Senate, it’s unclear when these next steps will take place.

However, even if Congress adjourns for the year without passing these bills, they will still play an important role in establishing priorities for next year’s surface transportation reauthorization.