Senate restrictions may kill Amtrak afterall

[amtrak_flyer]

This could be a fatal blow to Amtrak. Theres not alot of Senators or Representatives that are "truly educated" about Amtrak and its issues. If this restriction stays in place ridership will plument and Amtraks days will be numbered.

We have our Transportation Secretary Mr. Norman Mineta to thank for this. People are believing his blantant untruths in his effort to kill Amtrak at any cost. How many times are we going to put up with this? We have a Transportation Secretary running around giving press conferences who appears to be in a state of Dementia.

As an airline pilot I see everyday the mess our airlines are in. United States airlines have lost over $30 billion since the attacks of 9/11. In spite of near record passenger levels now and DRASTIC labor cuts most airlines continue to hemmorage cash. Mr. Mineta is NO WHERE to be seen when it comes to the airlines. I don't remember the last press conference he had regarding the dismal state of our airlines. Mr. Mineta's ineffective leadership has a great deal to do with the problems our airline industry faces. Its my opinion that Mr. Mineta has nothing meaningful to offer the airlines (or Greyhound) so instead he chose to attack Amtrak and just hope the problem with the airlines goes away on its own.

The pain that Mr. Mineta suffered 60 years ago was terrible but in no way should justify his behavior today.

Call your Senators today.

From NARP Hotline

Jul 22, 2005: Hotline #408

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $1.45 billion for Amtrak fiscal year 2006 funding yesterday. The subcommittee on transportation had approved $1.40 billion on July 19. Subcommittee Chairman Christopher Bond (R-MO) said he had just received a phone call from Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta “who was pleased to inform me that without a major reform package, the president’s advisers would recommend a veto ... with funding at” this level. Bond noted this again yesterday.

In a news release, NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon said, “We appreciate the supportive and bipartisan work of the committee, particularly the full committee and subcommittee chairmen and ranking members—Thad Cochran (R-MS), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Christopher Bond (R-MO) and Patty Murray (D-WA).”

However, the appropriation contains language prohibiting Amtrak from using federal monies to cover losses on food service or sleeping car operations. This appears to be a back-door effort to kill Amtrak’s national network and thus Amtrak as a whole.

The appropriation also refers to an experimental ticket surcharge of 5% on the Northeast Corridor (Boston-Washington), and 2% on the rest of the system, to cover capital investments. However, the bill also says that Amtrak “shall not impose said surcharge if it finds that such a surcharge shall have a deleterious impact on ridership and revenues.” Since Amtrak’s goal already is to set fares to maximize revenues, it seems likely that Amtrak would make such a finding.

Finally, the appropriation directs Amtrak to use train miles operated to determine the annual Northeast Corridor maintenance costs directly attributable to commuter rail agencies, and grants authority to the Secretary of Transportation to levy fees against such agencies (minus their current contributions) to cover those costs. Also, $5 million of the appropriation would be set aside to implement a “managerial cost accounting system.”

Congress adjourns for its August recess on July 29, and the full Senate is not expected to take up Amtrak funding until after it returns on September 6. At yesterday’s markup, Sen. Byrd urged the leadership to bring the remaining appropriations bills (including this one) to the floor during the first two weeks of September, and expressed concern that failure to do that might result in having them rolled into a large omnibus package.

In the meantime, NARP urges its members to contact their respective Senators and continue to urge them to support the Senate Appropriations funding level and not a penny less, reminding them that the Amtrak Board of Directors, which consists entirely of Bush Administration appointees, had requested $1.82 billion. .Many Senators will be holding town hall meetings in their states, which can be effective venues to get the message out! Go to our Action Alert for more information.

 

[Rick]

In regards to Mr. Mineta,,,he is as poor of an excuse of a "transportation secretary" as this nation has seen in many, many years. His stance regarding Amtrak is as ignorant and embarrassing as any misguided shlump on any given street in America. He speaks as a marionette of the conservative right rather than a professional on behalf of the American people...as what he professes to be. What he endured in his earlier years and what he professes to be are of little consequence to the American people. As individuals, we all have a story to tell....in some regards or another. Mr. Mineta makes his living these days, to a large degree, seeking ways to rid the United States of America of a viable national rail system. He can diguise his words in any way shape or form but , by and large, that is his agenda. This is on behalf of the Bush administraration or his own decrept conservative outlook. He has put himself in a position to take whatever heat his adverseries deem appropriate. In regards to how I feel and to how Mr. Mineta views the relevency of Amtrak as a viable organization, including her long distance routes, a souped up flame thrower would not be inappropriate. :angry:

 

[Just-Thinking]

From NARP "Finally, the appropriation directs Amtrak to use train miles operated to determine the annual Northeast Corridor maintenance costs directly attributable to commuter rail agencies, and grants authority to the Secretary of Transportation to levy fees against such agencies (minus their current contributions) to cover those costs."

:huh: This is going to be intresting if it does happen. Fair and equal?

"However, the appropriation contains language prohibiting Amtrak from using federal monies to cover losses on food service or sleeping car operations."

Sounds like Amtrak will be contract out sleeping car and dinning service to an outside company. Where do I sign up. (The Pullman Co.) (DSG) etc...