Happening Now
Trump Administration’s First Budget Calls for End to National Network Trains. Join NARP in Saying: NATIONAL OR NOTHING!
March 16, 2017
Every passenger must STAND UP for trains—there are no sidelines now!
The White House released its “skinny budget”—a general budget outline with few programmatic details—early this morning. And while infrastructure investment has been a major theme of President Trump’s campaign and first 100 days, his administration’s first budget guts infrastructure spending, slashing $2.4 billion from transportation. This will jeopardize mobility for millions of Americans and endanger tens of thousands of American jobs.
Every passenger must STAND up for trains—there are no sidelines now!
The budget appears to be modeled on an outline produced by the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. Cuts include:
- Elimination of all federal funding for Amtrak’s national network trains, which provides the only Amtrak service to 23 states, and the only nearby Amtrak service for 144.6 million Americans;
- $499 million from the TIGER grant program, a highly successful program that invests in passenger rail and transit projects of national significance;
- Elimination of $2.3 billion for the Federal Transit Administration’s “New Starts” Capital Investment Program, which is crucial to launching new transit, commuter rail, and light-rail projects.
NARP is asking every Amtrak, subway, and commuter rail passenger to speak out today!
It’s up to Congress to turn this proposal into a real budget. Members of Congress look to see which cuts produce the most pushback from advocacy groups, local officials, and members of the public to gauge where cuts can be made. If we stay silent, these cuts will be enacted into law!
Even an email will take too long. Call now!
Read the full NARP Press Release on the proposed cuts!
"We would not be in the position we’re in if it weren’t for the advocacy of so many of you, over a long period of time, who have believed in passenger rail, and believe that passenger rail should really be a part of America’s intermodal transportation system."
Secretary Ray LaHood, U.S. Department of Transportation
2011 Spring Council Meeting
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