11/03/05 Amtrak

Senate Passes Amtrak Reauthorization Amendment

On Wednesday, November 2nd Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced amendment #2360 to the Budget Reconciliation Bill (S.1932). On Thursday, November 3rd the Senate passed the amendment by a vote of 93 yea and 6 nay.

The amendment offered S1516 the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2005. This bill had been favorably reported by the Commerce Committee in July but had not gotten onto the Senate floor for consideration by the full Senate.

This amendment would authorize $11.4 billion for Amtrak operations, capital improvements and rail security through fiscal year 2011 and permit the Transportation secretary to issue $1.3 billion in rail bonds per year through 2015.

TCU’s legislative department has been working very hard on this bill. We were successful in making several changes in the language of the bill to include more moderate positions on some of the so-called “reforms.” We also worked all Senators for their support and vote in favor of the amendment.

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