House T&I Committee Passes Amtrak Reauthorization

House T&I Committee Passes Amtrak Reauthorization

On Wednesday, April 27th the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed H.R. 1630, the Amtrak Reauthorization Act of 2005 and H. R. 1631, the Rail Infrastructure Development and Expansion Act for the 21st Century.

Both of these bills are supported by TCU. H.R. 1630 would provide secure funding for Amtrak for the next three years at $2 billion per year. H.R. 1631 would provide needed money for high speed rail and other improvements. These two bills were passed without amendments.

Ed Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO commented on the Committee’s action by stating, “Chairman Don Young and the committee’s ranking Democrat, Jim Oberstar, turned away from all the sound and fury coming out of the White House and the Amtrak Board and instead acted in the best interests of a nation clamoring for better, not worse, rail transportation.”

In discussing these bills, TCU President Bob Scardelletti said, “H.R. 1630 and H.R. 1631 are two bills that set the foundation for saving Amtrak and preserving the thousands of good paying jobs. All TCU members must contact their members of Congress to support the fine work of the T&I Committee.”

Amtrak’s survival is vital for all rail workers. So whether you work for Amtrak or for some other carrier or are retired or even if you work for a company outside of the rail industry, you are urged to contact your Congressman today and tell him or her that you expect his/her support for H.R. 1630 and H.R. 1631. Let them know that you are union and that you vote.

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