Hotline
Your weekly source of fresh takes on news affecting America's passengers. See also the RPA Blog.
Hotline #778
June 18, 1993
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures holds a June 22 hearing on, among other things, a proposal by Rep. Mel Reynolds (Ill.) to create an intercity passenger rail capital trust fund, using one cent (or about $30 million a year) of the 2.5 cents railroads pay on fuel that now goes to deficit reduction. The railroads seek instead to be relieved of this tax. NARP Executive Director Ross Capon will testify -- strongly supporting creating a trust fund, but dealing gently wi
Hotline #777
June 11, 1993
The House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee yesterday approved a 1994 DOT funding bill. It has $351 million for Amtrak operations, nothing for new 403(b) service, $100 million for Amtrak capital, and $130 million for NECIP -- a 40/90 split between on-going projects and Boston electrification. This year's House numbers are higher than what the subcommittee approved a year ago. The Amtrak operations figure is $20 million higher than what was enacted for 1993, but Amtrak capital and NECIP
Hotline #776
June 4, 1993
Senate Appropriations is expected to mark up the 1993 supplemental appropriations bill with Amtrak money in it on June 8; floor action could follow within a day or two. House Appropriations may mark up the 1994 transportation funding bill as early as the coming week. A statement from a House Ways and Means subcommittee, from June 2, announces plans for a series of hearings on "miscellaneous revenue issues," beginning June 17. Among the items listed for a future hearing is a proposal to place on
Hotline #775
May 28, 1993
The House approved H.R.2244, a $931-million summer-jobs package with $51 million for Amtrak, on a vote of 287-140, yesterday. That bill had been approved by the Appropriations Committee on May 24. Of the Amtrak money, $30 million is an operating grant to help cover the recession-induced revenue shortfall and $21 million is expected to continue the capital overhaul program in Indiana and Delaware at current levels through September 30. Senator Dole has expressed support for the bill and Senate ac
Hotline #774
May 21, 1993
The Amtrak supplemental funding proposal referred to last week is still working its way through the OMB. The Administration is looking for offsets, but is interested in the concept and is expected to present a proposal to House Appropriations soon. The energy tax approved by House Ways and Means last week is in trouble. Three members of the Senate Finance Committee -- Born, Breaux, and Danforth -- plus Senator Cohen, are trying to kill it and replace it with spending cuts. Amtrak, as usual, cou
Hotline #773
May 14, 1993
Since the Administration now seems committed to some additional 1993 funding for Amtrak, the Appropriations committees have allowed a temporary reprogramming of $10 million to permit heavy overhauls to continue for two months. That kept Amtrak from giving out one-week notice of furloughs today to over 450 workers at Beech Grove and in Delaware. Actual supplemental funding depends on the Administration offsetting cost reductions in other programs. The House Ways and Means Committee, on a party-l
Hotline #772
May 7, 1993
The House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Bob Carr (D.-Mich.), held on May 5 its annual hearingon 1994 Amtrak funding. Amtrak made a convincing pitch for a 1993 supplemental appropriation, but supplemental funding for Amtrak realistically depends on the White House seeking the money. It is not clear what the White House will do. One supplemental bill may reach the full House Appropriations Committee on May 12 and the floor on May 17, but it is unclear if any transportation
Hotline #771
April 30, 1993
The Clinton Administration released a high-speed rail policy, which is incorporated into a new House bill, H.R.1919. The bill is the strongest statement yet that any Administration has made on high-speed rail. It amends the 4-R Act of 1976 and authorizes $1.3 billion over five years, through 1998. That includes the $140 million for high-speed rail in the Administration's 1994 DOT appropriations request. Of that $140 million, $96 million would go to a corridor assistance program, which, in ISTEA
Hotline #770
April 23, 1993
Unless some way is found to resurrect additional funding for Amtrak, the demise late on April 21 of the Clinton stimulus package means that Amtrak will furlough 341 more employees at Beech Grove and 136 in Delaware by July 1. Transportation Secretary Federico Pena appeared before the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee on April 21. He left the door open on a possible 1993 Amtrak operating supplemental, saying he would have to look at financial results early next month before decid
Hotline #769
April 16, 1993
Congress returns next week. The Senate may vote on April 20 on a Republican alternative to the Clinton stimulus package, which could foreshadow terms of whatever finally passes. Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole (R.-Kans.) reportedly wants no Amtrak money in his bill, but might listen to pro-Amtrak Republican colleagues. It is especially important for NARP's Indiana members to call Senators Coats and Lugar and tell them that without the stimulus funds, Beech Grove faces more layoffs instead of