Your weekly source of fresh takes on news affecting America's passengers. See also the NARP Blog.
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 o...
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 reven...
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 a...
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 -...
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 Administra...