Happening Now
ACTION ALERT: Help Amtrak beat this month's budget deadline!
September 6, 2016
Passenger trains need your voice in pre-election talks
With the deadline to pass a budget just weeks away, and none of the 12 annual regular appropriations bills passed, Congress is gearing up to pass a short-term budget extension (a Continuing Resolution, or CR) to avoid a shutdown before the election.
NARP is asking passenger advocates to support the White House's request to fully fund Amtrak at $1.39 billion using the new accounting structure approved by Congress last year.
This sensible proposal avoids saddling Amtrak with additional costs and wasted hours that would come from having to run two parallel accounting systems, and is a responsible use of limited taxpayer resources.
We are also asking Congress to support passenger rail programs authorized and approved by both the House and the Senate committees -- though not yet put before the President to be signed into law. These programs are critical to addressing national transportation challenges, and will create American jobs and support economic growth.
"When [NARP] comes to Washington, you help embolden us in our efforts to continue the progress for passenger rail. And not just on the Northeast Corridor. All over America! High-speed rail, passenger rail is coming to America, thanks to a lot of your efforts! We’re partners in this. ... You are the ones that are going to make this happen. Do not be dissuaded by the naysayers. There are thousands of people all over America who are for passenger rail and you represent the best of what America is about!"
Secretary Ray LaHood, U.S. Department of Transportation
2012 NARP Spring Council Meeting
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