Amtrak Funding Crisis

September 25, 2002

To: All TCU Members

It is urgent that all TCU members contact the House Appropriations Committee immediately. On Thursday, September 26, 2002, the House Appropriations Committee is expected to take up and vote on next year’s fiscal year 2003 funding for Amtrak. Please use the TCU hotline number 800-284-2919 or any of the telephone numbers listed below to contact the members of the Appropriations Committee.

As we all know, Amtrak is currently facing a financial crisis. In order to survive next year, Amtrak will need a minimum of $1.2 billion. The Committee’s solution to Amtrak’s $1.2-billion life-or-death request is to offer $762 million and to suggest the discontinuance of five trains: Three Rivers, Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle, Pennsylvanian and the Sunset Limited.

It appears that Amtrak’s response will be a total shutdown of the Amtrak system. Obviously either would be a disaster for everyone: customers using the trains, communities depending on Amtrak service, and especially employees. It would also have a terrible impact on the Railroad Retirement system.

It is imperative that the Members of the House Appropriations Committee be contacted as soon and often as possible with one clear message: Amtrak must have $1.2 billion, or it will die. There is no half way, no in between. Amtrak must have $1.2 billion. To vote for anything less kills Amtrak — probably not just five long-distance trains, but the entire system.

Because the Republicans are the Majority by 35-29, please first focus on them because they control the agenda. We have only 24 hours to get these calls in to the Appropriations Committee to fund Amtrak as it is expected that the Committee will be voting on this provision tomorrow, Thursday, September 26.

We must act NOW, immediately! The members of the House Appropriations Committee are shown below with their voice telephone number first, fax number second and then e-mail (if they have it):

Aderholt, Robert B. (R-Ala.) (202) 225-4876 (202) 225-5767 robert.aderholt@mail.house.gov
Bonilla, Henry (R-Texas) (202) 225-4511 (202) 225-2237
Callahan, Sonny (R-Ala.) (202) 225-4931 (202) 225-0562
Cunningham, Randy (R-Calif.) (202) 225-5452 (202) 225-2576
DeLay, Tom (R-Texas) (202) 225-5951 (202) 225-5241
Doolittle, John T. (R-Calif.) (202) 225-2511 (202) 225-5444 doolittle@mail.house.gov
Emerson, Jo Ann (R-Mo.) (202) 225-4404 (202) 226-0326
Frelinghuysen, Rodney P. (R-NJ) (202) 225-5034 (202) 225-3186 rodney.frelinghuysen@mail.house.gov
Granger, Kay (R-Texas) (202) 225-5071 (202) 225-5853 texas.granger@mail.house.gov
Hobson, David L. (R-Ohio) (202) 225-4324 (202) 225-1984
Istook, Ernest J. (R-Okla.) (202) 225-2132 (202) 226-1463 istook@mail.house.gov
Kingston, Jack (R-Ga.) (202) 225-5831 (202) 226-2269 jack.kingston@mail.house.gov
Knollenberg, Joe (R-Mich.) (202) 225-5802 (202) 226-2356 rep.knollenberg@mail.house.gov
Kolbe, Jim (R-Ariz.) (202) 225-2542 (202) 225-0378
LaHood, Ray (R-Ill.) (202) 225-6201 (202) 225-9249
Latham, Tom (R-Iowa) (202) 225-5476 (202) 225-3301 latham.ia05@mail.house.gov
Lewis, Jerry (R-Calif.) (202) 225-5861 (202) 225-6498
Miller, Dan (R-Fla.) (202) 225-5015 (202) 226-0828
Nethercutt, George R. (R-Wash.) (202) 225-2006 (202) 225-3392
Northup, Anne M. (R-Ky.) (202) 225-5401 (202) 225-5776 rep.northup@mail.house.gov
Peterson, John E. (R-Pa.) (202) 225-5121 (202) 225-5796 john.peterson@mail.house.gov
Regula, Ralph (R-Ohio) (202) 225-3876 (202) 225-3059
Rogers, Harold (R-Ky.) (202) 225-4601 (202) 225-0940 talk2hal@mail.house.gov
Sherwood, Don (R-Pa.) (202) 225-3731 (202) 225-9594
Skeen, Joe (R-N. M.) (202) 225-2365 (202) 225-9599 joe.skeen@mail.house.gov
Sununu, John E. (R-N.H.) (202) 225-5456 (202) 225-5822 rep.sununu@mail.house.gov
Sweeney, John E. (R-N.Y.) (202) 225-5794 (202) 225-6234
Taylor, Charles H. (R-N.C.) (202) 225-6401
Tiahrt, Todd (R-Kans.) (202) 225-6216 (202) 225-3489 tiahrt@mail.house.gov
Vitter, David (R-La.) (202) 225-3015 (202) 225-0739 david.vitter@mail.house.gov
Walsh, James T. (R-N.Y.) (202) 225-3701 (202) 225-4042 rep.james.walsh@mail.house.gov
Wamp, Zach (R-Tenn.) (202) 225-3271 (202) 225-3494
Wicker, Roger F. (R-Miss.) (202) 225-4306 (202) 225-3549 roger.wicker@mail.house.gov
Wolf, Frank R. (R-Va.) (202) 225-5136 (202) 225-0437
Young, C.W. (R-Fla.) (202) 225-5961 (202) 225-9764 bill.young@mail.house.gov
Goode, Virgil H. (I-Va.) (202) 225-4711 (202) 225-5851 rep.goode@mail.house.gov
Boyd, Allen (D-Fla.) (202) 225-5235 (202) 225-5795 rep.boyd@mail.house.gov
Clyburn, James E. (D-S.C.) (202) 225-3315 (202) 225-2313 jclyburn@mail.house.gov
Cramer, Robert E. (D-Ala.) (202) 225-4801 (202) 225-4392 budmail@mail.house.gov
DeLauro, Rosa L. (D-Conn.) (202) 225-3661 (202) 225-4890
Dicks, Norman D. (D-Wash.) (202) 225-5916 (202) 226-1176
Edwards, Chet (D-Tex.) (202) 225-6105 (202) 225-0350
Farr, Sam (D-Calif.) (202) 225-2861 (202) 225-6791
Fattah, Chaka (D-Pa.) (202) 225-4001 (202) 225-5392
Hinchey, Maurice D. (D-N.Y.) (202) 225-6335 (202) 226-0774
Hoyer, Steny H. (D-Md.) (202) 225-4131 (202) 225-4300
Jackson, Jesse L. (D-Ill.) (202) 225-0773 (202) 225-0899 jessejr@jessejacksonjr.org
Kaptur, Marcy (D-Ohio) (202) 225-4146 (202) 225-7711 rep.kaptur@mail.house.gov
Kennedy, Patrick J. (D-R.I.) (202) 225-4911 (202) 225-3290 patrick.kennedy@mail.house.gov
Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. (D-Mich.) (202) 225-2261 (202) 225-5730 carolyn.cheeks.kilpatrick@mail.house.gov
Lowey, Nita M. (D-N.Y.) (202) 225-6506 (202) 225-0546 nita.lowey@mail.house.gov
Meek, Carrie P. (D-Fla.) (202) 225-4506 (202) 226-0777 cpm@mail.house.gov
Mollohan, Alan B. (D-W.Va.) (202) 225-4172 (202) 225-7581
Moran, James P. (D-Va.) (202) 225-4376 (202) 225-0017
Murtha, John P. (D-Pa.) (202) 225-2065 (202) 225-5709 murtha@mail.house.gov
Obey, David R. (D-Wisc.) (202) 225-3365 (202) 225-3240
Olver, John W. (D-Mass.) (202) 225-5335 (202) 226-1224
Pastor, Ed (D-Ariz.) (202) 225-4065 (202) 225-1655
Pelosi, Nancy (D-Calif.) (202) 225-4965 (202) 225-8259 sf.nancy@mail.house.gov
Price, David E. (D-N.C.) (202) 225-1784 (202) 225-2014 david.price@mail.house.gov
Rothman, Steven R. (D-N.J.) (202) 225-5061 (202) 225-5851 steven.rothman@mail.house.gov
Roybal-Allard, Lucille (D-Calif.) (202) 225-1766 (202) 226-0350
Sabo, Martin Olav (D-Minn.) (202) 225-4755 (202) 225-4886 martin.sabo@mail.house.gov
Serrano, Jose E. (D-N.Y.) (202) 225-4361 (202) 225-6001 jserrano@mail.house.gov
Visclosky, Peter J. (D-Ind.) (202) 225-2461 (202) 225-2493

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