Your weekly source of fresh takes on news affecting America's passengers. See also the NARP Blog.
May 24, 1991
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee marked up S.965, the Moynihan surface transportation bill, on May 22, and reported it to the full Senate. The results were very good. The rail language was changed from just the word "rail" to "passenger rail," so it still includes Amtrak. However, the part allowing operating funding to come from the Highway Trust Fund was dropped, so now it is...
May 17, 1991
Committee mark-up of S.965, the Senate version of the surface transportation bill, was delayed until May 22. In the meantime, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held hearings on May 13 and 14, at the request of many parties, including the Administration, who didn't like S.965. NARP still likes the bill and is working to see that the positive, pro-rail language put in by Senator Moyn...
May 10, 1991
There is still great danger that the pro-Amtrak language in S.965, Senator Moynihan's (D.-N.Y.) surface transportation bill, may be dropped. That language, which would give intercity passenger and freight rail access to the Highway Trust Fund for the first time ever, has come under attack from the trucking industry and state highway officials. There is danger that an amendment will be offered limi...
May 3, 1991
Amtrak President Graham Claytor addressed a luncheon of the National Press Club on May 1, on the occasion of Amtrak's 20th anniversary. He outlined where Amtrak has been and where it's going, and named NARP as one of the parties that helped get Amtrak through its political crises in the 1980's. Claytor's remarks were broadcast in full on many public radio stations and may be seen at 6:00 pm Easter...
April 26, 1991
Yesterday was a banner day for passenger-rail advocates because the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works transportation subcommittee, Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D.-N.Y.), released a Senate version of the surface transportation bill with much stronger flexibility provisions than were in the Administration's bill. The importance of that feature of this bill cannot be understated. M...