Happening Now
"Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act" Introduced
March 23, 2021
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) have introduced the "Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act" that will provide approximately $5.4 billion a year in permanent funding for Amtrak.
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For Immediate Release (21-03)
Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail (202) 320-2723; sjeansgail@narprail.org
Washington, D.C. — Rail Passengers Association has endorsed the Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act released today by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tom Udall (D-NM) and Representative Danny Davis (D-IL). The bill would provide 5.4 billion in dedicated annual funding for Amtrak.
“The Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act provides the predictable, dedicated funding required to drive the next great expansion in the U.S. passenger rail network,” said Jim Mathews, President and CEO of the Rail Passengers Association. “If Americans are ever to have access to a world class transportation system, we need to take seriously the problem of how this country funds the creation of modern, efficient passenger rail services; that is just what this bill does. We applaud Senator Blumenthal and Representative Davis for the ambition on display in this legislation, and we stand ready to work with them to pass this proposal into law.”
Of the $5.4 billion, 40% would be reserved for the Northeast Corridor and 60% would be reserved for the National Network—which includes both State-Supported and Long-Distance services.
The legislation has also been cosponsored by Reps. Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). The full text of the Senate legislation can be found on Sen. Blumenthal’s website and the bill summary can be found here.
About Rail Passengers Association
The 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.
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"On behalf of Amtrak’s onboard service staff, I want to thank the Rail Passengers Association for honoring their hard work with this award. The past couple years have indeed been difficult for Amtrak onboard service staff – coping with furloughs and job insecurity, adapting to changing protocols and services, not to mention the unfortunate events such as a tragic derailment and a fatal shooting. Nevertheless, our dedicated members at Amtrak have handled these hurdles with the care, attention and diligence for which they’re known. We thank Rail Passengers for their acknowledgement of our members’ hard work and, as always, look forward to seeing you on the rails."
Arthur Maratea, TCU/IAM National President
December 21, 2021, on the Association awarding its 2021 Golden Spike Award to the Frontline Amtrak Employees.
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